His Rose
by SquirrelWho
Summary: The Doctor was gone and she was in an alternate universe, but she couldn't let him go. She had John, the other Doctor, but he wasn't the one she said forever to. He decides to help her, even though he'll be sacrificing his happiness, but before he can she's stolen. Now, the only way for John to save her is to bring back the one person in existence who could take her away from him
1. Saying Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

He burned up a sun to say goodbye to her.

He took off his wet jacket and tossed it on the console. He lost two people on the same day, but it was Rose that he couldn't let go of. He'd known he would have to say goodbye eventually, but when she told him she was going to be with him forever he allowed himself to believe it because by that time he'd done something he never thought he'd be able to do again. He fell in love. He loved all of his companions, but he didn't just love Rose. He was _in love_ with her. She had both of his hearts. She was _his _Rose_. _

He could've brought her back. Hopping between realities safely wasn't easy, especially since the Time Lord technology was lost, but he could do it. He didn't because he wanted to keep her safe. He'd almost lost her at Canary Warf and he couldn't bare for anything to happen to her.

He walked around the console flipping levers and turning dials absentmindedly. He didn't like goodbyes, but he knew she wouldn't be able to move on without one and he couldn't be selfish when it came to Rose. So, he burned up a sun to say goodbye. As he stood there talking to her he tried not to think about how the sun caught the highlights in her blonde hair. When she broke down he wanted to pull her close. To comfort her, but he couldn't because he was just an image. It was better that way because he knew if he touched her, just once, he wouldn't be able to let her go.

She said three words and because it was true he was going to say them back only the projection faded before he could and he was left in his TARDIS feeling like someone had ripped both his hearts out, but he went on because that's what Time Lords do, or, at least, that's what he told himself. He had other companions and went on brilliant adventures, but still he missed her. Then she found her way back to him and nothing else mattered. When he saw her standing at the other end of that dark street all the years and the pain and the loneliness fell away. He had her back. _My Rose. _

He wanted to keep her with him always and he would have if it hadn't been for the Meta-Crisis. Rose was his love, but she was human. She would age and he wouldn't. He didn't want to put her through that so he gave her the only thing he could. A life with someone like him who was like her. They could grow old together. The thought of her with someone else hurt, but he would do anything for her because she was _his _Rose.


	2. Doctor Smith

He felt himself die. _Not myself. Well, not really. _They were the same person in a way because they had been the same person, but that was back before he was a hand and then half Time Lord.

All Time Lords were connected though, even half Time Lords, so he felt it. _He isn't dead. Well, not really. _He regenerated, but regenerating was like dying. The sadness hit him like a wave before it happened and five words rang through his mind. _I don't want to go. _A tear slid down his cheek. "Goodbye old friend," he whispered.

"Doctor Smith, are you okay?" his assistant asked.

"Sorry, allergies," he said wiping his eyes. He slid his glasses back on and squinted at the screen. "Now, Terry, what did you want to show me?"

_Doctor Smith. _That's what he was called in this alternate world. Not the Doctor because he wasn't _the Doctor _even though he still felt like he was. He had the same memories, but he, unlike _the Doctor _was half human. One little bit of DNA and his entire identity had been ripped away, but he had something that the Time Lord didn't. He had Rose and he figured that was a pretty fair trade. More than fair because he loved her.

"The calculations are off."

"Off? They're more than off, but I can fix that. See there?" he asked, pointing at the screen.

"Yes."

"That's all wrong." He sat down in the chair and started typing on the keyboard.

"What are you doing?" she asked in alarm.

"Fixing it."

"But they've had three of the top scientists working on that equation."

"They're all idiots."

"What?"

"Oh," he glanced at her "sorry was I being rude? What I meant to say…" he resumed typing "…is they're all idiots compared to me. There now, done."

He leaned back and laced his fingers behind his head. Terry looked at the screen. Her eyes widened.

"But that's…"

"Yeah, I know." He smiled.

"Brilliant."

"Yep, that's me."

Although there were drawbacks to being half-human, like only having one heart, which was strange to say the least, there were also good points. He was brilliant before, but now…well…was there a word that surpassed brilliant? Oh, yeah, there were two – _Doctor Smith._

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Yes, I-I think so," she stammered, still looking at him in awe.

_Still got it. _He stood up, straightened his coat and began the long walk back to his office. _My office. _He smiled. He never thought he'd be the type of man who worked in an office, but love changes people. _Rose Tyler. _He loved her so much that it hurt, but a good hurt. He glanced at his watch.

It was nearly lunch time on his first day and he'd already averted three disasters, destroyed two weapons, saved a man from falling down the stairs, and fixed an equation. Of course two of those were his fault, but how was he supposed to know that those people were really snogging and that Torchwood's west wing really was under construction. He thought the Cybermen were back, but it was nothing a little olive oil and a wig wouldn't fix.

"Pete Tyler," he exclaimed as Rose's dad who really wasn't her dad, but he was, walked around the corner.

"Doc…John," he said. "just the man I was looking for."

Pete still had a hard time not calling him Doctor or referring to him as the Doctor, but he was coming around. He wasn't sure he liked the name John yet. He thought about calling himself Alonzo, but Rose had laughed and told him there's no way she would call him that so he settled on John because he was used to it and she liked it. He would do anything for her. What's in a name anyway?

"Something I can do for you?"

"I thought you might like to go to lunch."

"Ah, well, I would only Rose is supposed to show up with some take out and I was rather looking forward to it, so…"

"She got tied up," Pete said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Tied up?"

"Well…um…she said she had an interview and it's running a little long so she wasn't going to make it."

He could tell that Pete wasn't being completely honest. He was holding something back, but Pete was her dad so he didn't want to press him. His heart fell and he was pretty sure if he'd had two they both would have fallen. She was trying. She really was, but the problem was that he wasn't _her_ Doctor.

That day on the beach in Bad Wolf Bay she kissed him, but not because she loved _him_. She kissed him because he told her what the Doctor wouldn't. Three words. _I love you._ He meant them because he did love her. He loved Rose Tyler. Only, she loved the Doctor, not John. He felt his eyes sting.

"So, you want to come along?"

"Huh?" he asked coming out of his thoughts. "Oh, no, actually I have some work to catch up on…soooo…I'm just going to take something in. Thanks though."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued down the hall. He could feel Pete watching him, but he kept his eyes straight ahead. He didn't want Pete's pity. He wanted _her_, but she wanted the Doctor. He knew it the moment the TARDIS doors closed and she ran to try to stop him. He had taken her hand because he wanted her to know that even though the Doctor was gone he was there and he loved her.

He threw himself down in his chair and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. _Give her time. _He could see the sadness in her eyes whenever she looked at him because he looked like _him, _but he wasn't _him. _It broke his heart to see her suffer. He was there, the Doctor wasn't. He hoped in time she would come to love him.


	3. Rose

She knew she was hurting him and she didn't mean to, but how could she deny her heart? She cared about John, but he wasn't _him_. The Doctor was the one she said forever to. He was the one she loved.

She felt like he had dumped her off to babysit his duplicate. _No. That's not fair. _The Doctor was trying to protect her. She had almost died that day at Canary Wharf and then in the Medusa Cascade. He was always trying to save her. _Damn him! _She threw the pillow across the room.

And then there was John. The man who loved her as much as the Doctor. She could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her, which was why she was avoiding him. She called her dad and told him that she had an interview that ran late. He knew she was lying and prodded the truth out of her, but she knew he wouldn't tell John, even though he liked him, because he was her dad.

The problem was every time she looked at him she missed the Doctor more because he looked like the Doctor only he wasn't _him. _John was different. He had the same memories, but she hadn't done all that fantastic stuff with him. She'd done it with the Doctor. _My Doctor. _

She missed him. She missed him so much it hurt. Her eyes burned with fresh tears. _Damn him! _It took so long to get back to him and now…now she was just tired. Tired and fed up and she wanted to crawl into a dark whole and die. She felt like she was dying. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Are you still pining over that Doctor?" Jackie asked from the doorway.

Rose looked up, pulled out of her thoughts. She rolled her eyes, wiping her cheeks quickly. _Just what I need. _Her mum had never approved of the Doctor and the last thing she wanted right now was to hear her opinion, but her mum had never been one to keep those to herself.

"No," she lied.

"Why can't you be happy with John? He's got a good job and he's human."

"I just want to be left alone, okay?"

Like usual, her mum ignored her and stepped into the room. "He looks just like him and he remembers all that stuff you two did together."

"But we didn't do it together!" Rose yelled, fuming. Why didn't she understand? She loved the Doctor and John wasn't _him_.

"It's the same thing, ain't it?"

"No it's not! I know he looks like the Doctor, but he's not him!" Her voice cracked and fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "He's not him."

"Oh, come here sweetie," she said, sitting down and hugging Rose.

"I love him mum and it hurts. It hurts so much."

Her body racked with sobs. She wanted him back, but he was gone. Jackie held her until she cried herself to sleep, but even in her dreams she couldn't escape him.


	4. Apologies and Sacrafices

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

* * *

Months had passed since that day on the beach. He'd given her time and during that time he saw her less and less. She was avoiding him and he knew it was because he reminded her of _him._ _Why can't she give me a chance? _That's all he wanted. A chance to be with Rose.

She was the one. He'd grown fond of her from the moment he grabbed her hand in the basement of that department store and said one word – _run. _She almost didn't go with him in the end, but he'd gone back because he couldn't just leave the mad, impulsive girl who saved his life. And she went with him.

Then there were adventures. He saved her life and she saved his. She saved more than his life. She saved his heart. Rescued it from the recesses of time and pain. She brought him back. Made him feel again. They were so busy running that he didn't realize he'd fallen in love with her until he heard her utter those two words. _My Doctor. _Oh, he'd heard those words before, but when they came out of her lips he realized that she was _his Rose. _

And so he'd given his life to save her. He knew he would die, but he'd done it anyway because it was her. _My Rose. _He became a different man and that man had gone on adventures with her. It was because of her love that he became this new man. A man who could laugh and joke and run even faster.

He thought she wasn't going to go with him the day he regenerated. It was Christmas night and they were standing near the TARDIS. It was snowing ash and she asked where he was going next. He held himself steady, but inside he was reeling with the implication of that question. He wanted her to come with him, but she thought he wouldn't want her. He was stunned. How could he not want her? She was _his Rose. _Nothing in the universe would ever change that.

John knew they weren't his memories. Well, technically they were since he'd grown out of the Doctor's hand, but he wasn't _the _Doctor. He was Doctor John Smith. None of that mattered though when it came to Rose. He loved her as much as the Doctor did and right now he hated the Time Lord.

Hated him for leaving Rose and hated him for leaving John with her. He didn't talk to Rose about his memories anymore because her eyes would cloud over in despair. She would laugh at the right places, but it was a forced laugh. Her heart wasn't in it. It didn't take a genius to see that she was thinking about the Doctor and missing him. That's when he started thinking about his memories as the Doctor's memories.

"Sorry about that I…uh…I forgot where I put the honey so I had to look for it," Rose said, walking back in the room with two cups of tea.

He knew she was lying from the red circles under her eyes. She'd been crying. _Because of me. _He shouldn't have come. Shouldn't have forced his company on her, but he missed her so much. He wanted to pull her close. To comfort her, but he knew she wouldn't want that. Not from him.

"It's all right," he said taking the offered cup. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

She sat down in the chair and drew her legs up.

"I know it's hard for you, you know, to see me, like this." It tore him up inside to see her in pain and not be able to help her.

"I should be the one apologizing. I mean, I know that you…" her voice broke.

"Rose, stop, you don't have to…"

"But I'm hurting you. I know I'm hurting you. I just…I just can't help…" she sobbed.

"I'm sorry Rose. I'm so sorry," He set his cup down and without thinking, reached for her. He wanted to hold her, like he remembered doing so many times before. To make her feel safe.

"No, don't." She pushed him away.

He sat back down. His heart ached to help her. _Damn him! Damn him for doing this to her! _He knew that the Doctor had left her there to keep her safe and that it tore him apart to do it, but Rose didn't need to be safe. She needed him. Only...John needed her.

"I-I'm sorry," she said, wiping her eyes. "This isn't fair to you."

"I," he whispered. Too many emotions churned within him. He was having a hard time forming words so he took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm more worried about you than I am about me."

"And then you say something like that and make me feel worse." She hugged her knees as her eyes brimmed with fresh tears.

"I'm sorry."

"God, don't be sorry," she sighed, exasperated.

"What do you want me to say?" He felt guilty for making her feel bad. He shouldn't have come over. If he'd known his presence would have this kind of effect he would've stayed away.

"Just tell me I'm a horrible person and get it over with." Tears slipped down her cheeks.

"You are the sweetest, kindest, most compassionate person I've ever met. You wouldn't know how to be a horrible person." His eyes stung with tears. It tore him apart to see her like this. To be so close and not be able to reach out and wipe away her tears.

"But look what I'm doing to you." She pressed her forehead against her knees.

"Rose, look at me." She lifted her head. He gazed into her hazel eyes wanting nothing more than to banish all that pain. "None of this is your fault. You were in love with him…_are_ in love with him." The last part came out just above a whisper and he had to clear his throat before continuing. "I don't blame you for that. You love the Doctor and I'm-I'm not him." His voice cracked.

He paused to swallow down all the pain. He felt like someone was twisting a knife into his heart, but he had to try to hide as much of it as he could. He didn't want to make her suffer anymore than she already was. He really didn't blame her. How could he? It wasn't her fault. She had loved the Doctor long before he came into the picture. She was his light. It wasn't her fault that she was shining on someone else. She was _his Rose_, but he wasn't _her Doctor._

He wanted her to be happy, but he knew what her happiness would cost him. He could give her what she wanted if he sacrificed what he wanted. As he gazed into her hazel eyes he knew he would do it because she was Rose.

"I can help you, if you want," he said as a heavy weight settled on his heart.

"What do you mean?" she asked, tears still fresh on her cheeks.

"I can get you back to him, but I can't do it alone. I need your help."

She launched herself off the chair and wrapped her arms around his neck. "'Course I'll help. I'll do anything."

He held her. _His Rose. _And for a moment he pretended that he was _her Doctor._


	5. Friendship

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

* * *

Rose turned onto the long, winding driveway that would take her to John's house. He bought the cottage that first year. A few months after he told her that he could get her back to theDoctor. By that time he'd become Torchwood's top scientist. Her dad once joked that he could go on permanent holiday because John was the one running the place, which turned out to be a bad idea because her mum overheard and started making plans for a trip around Europe. She smiled at the memory of her dad arguing that it was just a joke as her mum surfed the internet for the finest hotel in Rome.

A low buzzing filled the car. She flipped the lever that John had installed next to the steering wheel so she wouldn't have to take her eyes off the road.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Rose. Good, I caught you," Jackie said, her voice coming from the speakers.

"Yep, what do you need mum?"

"I thought we could take in a show."

"Can't I'm busy."

"Busy doing what?"

"I'm at John's house."

"Bring him along too."

"Mum, we have work to do."

Her mum was quiet for a minute and she started to think that maybe they got cut off. Jackie was never quiet. Only, that was impossible because when John installed the device he created that would pick up any oncoming calls to her cell phone when they were in close proximity he increased the reception field. He wanted to make sure she would never be without her phone if there was ever an emergency. He was always doing things like that for her.

"Don't go," Jackie said.

Rose rolled her eyes. She knew what her mum meant. Her parents were the only people, besides John, who knew she would be stepping through a window into another universe soon.

When she first started working on a way to get back to the Doctor with John her mum hadn't been very happy about it, but she'd had a few years to get used to the idea. At least, Rose thought she'd gotten used to it, but last weekend when she told her mum it would only be another week Jackie exploded and they got into a pretty heated row. She walked out without finishing dinner. John drove Rose home and sat with her while she went off about how unfair her mum was.

"I don't want to get into this with you again, mum," Rose insisted.

"I don't want to lose you, sweetheart."

"I'm not a kid anymore. I have to make my own choices."

"Why can't you and John stay here?"

"You know why."

Jackie sighed. "You and that bloody Doctor! When are you going to stop chasing after him?"

"Mum, drop it!"

"What about John then? What's he going to do when you're gone?"

"He's coming with me."

She remembered when they started working together after he told her he couldn't do it without her help. She'd been reluctant at first because it was so hard to be around him. Every time she looked at him she thought about the Doctor. _My Doctor. _Sometimes he would say something or give her one of those looks. The ones the Doctor used to give her. She'd have to remind herself that the man next to her wasn't the Doctor. He was John.

After a while though she didn't need to remind herself because he wasn't exactly like the Doctor. He was different, his own person. He still gave her those looks, but she could see the slight differences in the way he held himself and some of the phrases he used. Like the word _wizard_, which he used with referring to something that wouldn't work or wasn't working right. It was strange at first, but now she kind of liked it.

He wasn't the Doctor, but he had become her friend…her best-friend. She couldn't imagine what her life would be like if he wasn't there.

"He's going with you?" Jackie asked, in surprise.

"'Course he is."

"Why would you do that to him?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you blind? Haven't you seen the way he looks at you?"

"We're friends, mum. Of course he looks at me."

She rolled her eyes. Jackie could be overly dramatic at times. Actually, most of the time.

"He's in love with you, Rose. Anyone who saw him look at you would know that and you're going to make him watch you with the Doctor."

They were friends. That's all. She knew he used to feel that way about her, but they worked together for a few years and during that time his feelings changed. When he hugged her it wasn't the same as it was when the Doctor had hugged her. It was more like a friend and he didn't look at her as much as he had.

She loved him and at one point she thought she might be falling in love with him. That was a year ago. The day she almost told him to close the window. It had been so long since that day on the beach. Years. The Doctor was out there having adventures with new companions and maybe she should let him go.

She walked into the detached garage where John kept the TARDIS to tell him. He hadn't been expecting her because she usually called. _Rose Tyler_, he said in the same way the Doctor had so many times before, but he didn't run and embrace her as the Doctor had. Instead, he waited for her to come to him. She listened to him prattle on about the TARDIS and how it would be mature in a year. _One more year Rose. I told you I'd help you. _She wasn't thinking about that though. She was thinking about him and telling him to close the window because she could be happy there. Then he thanked her, which caught her off guard. She asked what he was thanking her for. _I know the Doctor has had a lot of them, but you're the only one Rose Tyler. _Thinking that he met to tell her he loved her and knowing that when he did she would kiss him, but she wouldn't be thinking of the Doctor this time. She asked him what he meant. _You're my only friend, Rose. The only one I've got. I'd say you're my best-friend. Thank you for that._ That's when she realized his feelings had changed.

"He's not in love with me, mum. I have to go."

She clicked the lever and hung up before he mum could launch into another tirade about her staying. She let out a breath as John's cottage came into view. He was her friend. Her best-friend. Maybe it could have been something more at one time, but he didn't feel that way about her anymore. _Besides, the Doctor is the one I said forever to. My Doctor._


	6. Parallel Invasion

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

* * *

It had taken years, but the TARDIS was almost ready. He couldn't wait to try her out, but at the same time his heart was heavy with grief because he knew he'd have to say goodbye to Rose.

It was hard to be around her. Every time he saw her his heart fluttered and he wanted nothing more than to run to her and embrace her like he used to, lifting her off the ground, inhaling the slight hint of strawberry from her favorite shampoo. Instead, he forced himself to wait for her to come to him as he toned down the smile spreading across his face.

His feelings hadn't changed over the years. He knew they never would. She would always be _his Rose_, but he didn't want to hurt her so he kept his feelings in check whenever she was with him. Focusing on something, anything, to keep himself from gazing at her. It ate away at him to have her so close, but not be able to touch her cheek, look into her eyes, or kiss her pink lips.

Every night before he fell asleep his mind would wonder back to the beach and that kiss. It was the only time that he, John, had felt her full lips on his. Sometimes it made him angry. Angry that he wasn't the one she wanted. The darkness inside of him would rise up and he was pretty sure that if the Doctor had been in the room he would have killed him. Other time the memory mad him sad because he knew he would never have the one thing that he wanted more than anything else in the entire universe. _My Rose._

"Is it ready?" Rose asked, entering the detached garage.

He spun around, pulled out of his thoughts. She wore jeans, a pink t-shirt, and sneakers. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders. She wouldn't have looked more beautiful to him if she'd been wearing an evening gown. _Well, it depends on the neckline. _He pushed the thought aside and gave her his best we're-just-friends smile.

"She'll be ready tomorrow," he said.

"Why's this one look the same?"

"What do you mean?"

"Big, blue police box."

"Maybe she wants to look like her mum." He'd noticed that too. He hoped she wasn't damaged like the Doctor's TARDIS, but he wouldn't know for sure until get got inside.

"Are you sure it's not broken?"

"What? Of course she's not broken. Are you girl?" he asked, stroking the door. "You're brilliant."

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?" he asked, but he knew what.

"You know what. Do you want me to leave? 'Cause I could grab some lunch and leave you two alone?" she laughed.

He smiled, enjoying the sound of her laughter. Over the years it had taken to grow the TARDIS they grew close. Not in the way he would have liked, _would still like_, but he was happy to just be around her. She was still _his _Rose, but he was her friend because that's all he could be.

"Loads of laughs, you are." He shoved her playfully, breaking into a fit of laughter with her.

"I could get some candles."

He continued to laugh with her even though his heart was breaking. Tomorrow he would use the TARDIS to expand the window and just like that he would be alone again. Although she grew to love him she never fell in love with him, but she would be happy and that's all he wanted.

"Now that I think about it some candles would be nice," he said, sobering up.

"What 'cha mean?" she asked, her bout of giggles subsiding.

"I could set up a table over there." He pointed to the left. "And we could have some candles burning. What do you think?"

"What are you talking about?"

"She'll be ready tomorrow, which makes tonight officially your last night on Earth. Well, this earth anyway. I thought we could spend it together over dinner. What do you say, Rose Tyler? Will you have dinner with me?"

He held his breath as he gazed into her beautiful hazel eyes waiting for an answer. He could face Daleks and Cybermen with nerves of steel, but one look in those eyes and he was done for.

"But you're…you're talking like I'm the only one leaving. You're coming with me, right?"

He turned away, rubbing the back of his neck because he didn't want her to see the pain he felt. "I thought I would muck around here for a bit."

"Why?"

_Because I don't want to see you with him. I can't. It would tear me apart. _"There's a great big universe here that I haven't seen. I thought I would do some exploring. See how different things are."

He wondered back to the TARDIS and stared at the sign without seeing it. His thoughts were with Rose and how much it was going to hurt to see her go. She was quiet for a minute and he turned around thinking she might have left, but she was standing there with tears streaming down her cheeks.

He crossed the room in two strides and wrapped his arms around her. He felt like someone ripped his heart out. He knew she was going to take it hard when he told her he was staying, which is why he waited until the last minute to tell her, but he thought she'd yell at him not break down.

"I don't want to go without you," she sobbed.

He pulled back so he could look into her eyes. "What are you saying, Rose?" Hope filled in his chest. He wanted her to say it. _Please…please, just give me this. This one mad, impulsive girl. My Rose. I'll never ask for anything. Just her. Please, give me her._

"I…" her voice cracked. "I-" He saw it out of the corner of his eye and pulled Rose to the floor before the beam hit her. Instead, it hit his workbench, which exploded into splinters of wood.

"What is it?"

"Roboform." He reached for his sonic screwdriver only to remember that he didn't have one because he wasn't the Doctor. _Damn! _He wanted to make one. Attempted to a couple times, but the technology on this plant wasn't advanced enough.

"Roboform?"

"Run!" he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her behind the TARDIS. He peered around the corner, making sure it wasn't coming after them. Nope, they were safe for now. "Remember Christmas Eve, the day I regenerated?"

A beam shot to their left, turning his tool trolley into bits of metal and dust. _I really liked those tools._

"You mean those Santa robot things?"

"Yes."

He peeked around the corner again. The Roboform seemed to be standing guard just outside the entrance. It was probably waiting for the rest of its gang before converging on them.

"But that thing's wearing a black cloak and it's sliver."

"Different universe, different version."

They were after the TARDIS, but how did they find out about her? Then he realized. _Stupid. Stupid. _He slammed his palm into his forehead. She was almost finished, which meant she was giving off trace energy, similar to what he did after he regenerated. That energy must have lured the Roboforms there.

He had no way of defending Rose, but somehow he had to get her to safety. One of the blasts from the Roboform's gun had blown a hole in the wall, but it was small and he couldn't be sure there weren't more outside just waiting for someone daft enough to run through it. There was only one place he knew she would be safe.

"Rose, listen to me," he said, grabbing her shoulders and looking into her eyes. "When I say _now _I want you to run around that side," he pointed to the side closest to her, "and get inside the TARDIS."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to distract it."

"But…it'll shoot you."

"Nah, I'm pretty fast. Got these long legs, remember?" He jogged in place for a moment for effect.

"John, don't be an idiot. You can't regenerate. If it shoots you, you'll die."

"See that hole over there?"

She followed his finger with her eyes. "Yeah."

"It's big enough for me to fit though. I'm going to run through there while you get inside the TARDIS."

"But that'll leave you out here with them."

"For once, Rose, just do what I say. _Now!_"

He ran toward the hole. "Over here you great ugly metal robot!" he shouted waving his hands as he ran. A blast almost hit him, but he jumped out of the way and then glanced back to make sure Rose was doing what he told her. She opened the TARDIS door. Then he was out the hole. He jumped to the left as a blast from another Roboform nearly hit him. If he could make it to his house he could get one of the devices he'd been working on for Torchwood. It was a communicator. If he connected it to the amplifier he made he could destroy the Roboforms like he'd done at Donna's wedding reception. Only, it hadn't really been her wedding reception because luckily she didn't marry that guy. If she had she would've been dinner for what she referred to as a _giant spider._

He ducked through the door and ran for the basement. The communicator was sitting on the foldout table along with a few other gadgets and tons of wires. He pulled the amplifier apart and started connecting the wires. Now he just needed a sound. He looked around the room. Something with a high pitch.

He ran upstairs and began pulling out drawers and sifting through them. Notepad, pens, batteries, a stick of gum, _Stick of gum? _He couldn't find anything.

_Come on! I have to have something. _The room began to shake. _What? _He looked out the window. The Roboforms had pulled the TARDIS out of the garage; their ship hovered in the air above them. _No! No, no, no, no, no! _He ran out the door. Rose was in there! He had to stop them. He made it across the porch and down the steps before they teleported, taking the TARDIS with them.


	7. Sending A Message

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

* * *

He stood there with his hands stuffed in his pockets, looking at the empty place where the ship had been. He couldn't move. Rose was gone. He didn't have the TARDIS to go after her. All he wanted was for her to be safe and now…_I've lost her. _

"What happened?" someone asked.

John hardly heard the voice. He was too lost in his misery. "Huh?" he asked.

"Doctor Smith!"

It was the word _Doctor _that got him going. His mind snapped back. Pete was standing next to him on the porch wearing a black business suit. His car was parked next to the house. He must have driven up while the Roboforms were transporting aboard their ship.

"What happened?" Pete repeated now that he had John's attention. "Jacks sent me here to try to talk to Rose. Where is she and what were those things?"

"I'll get her back, Pete, I promise," John said.

"Get her back? What do you mean?"

"They took her."

John turned around and walked back inside. Pete was on his heels in the next minute.

"Took her? You mean those things those-"

"Roboforms."

"They took Rose?"

John paused after opening the basement door. "Yes." Pain lanced his chest as his eyes misted over.

"Can you go after her with the TARDIS?"

"They took it."

"How could you let them take her?" Pete growled.

"I didn't let them," John stormed. He was sorry the moment he said it. He knew Pete was her dad. Well, he'd become her dad and as far as he was concerned Rose was his daughter. He was angry and sacred, lashing out at John because he was there, but he was right. _It's my fault! I should've been faster._

"This would've never happened if you were…" he trailed off, as if he suddenly realized what he was about to say.

"Go ahead. You can say it! This wouldn't have happened if I was the Doctor and not some half-human Meta-Crisis," John shouted, but he wasn't shouting at Pete. He was shouting at himself because Pete was right. The Doctor. The _real _Doctor wouldn't have let this happen. He would've saved her. "I might not be him, but I promise I'll get her back."

"And how are you going to do that?"

He knew how. He didn't have the TARDIS. Hell, he didn't even have a sonic screwdriver. There was only way he could save her, but it would cost him. He was sure she'd almost said the words he'd been waiting years to hear, the words he'd almost given up on ever hearing and now the only way to save her was to bring back the one person in all of existence who could take those words from her lips. Either way he would lose her, but at least she would be alive. He couldn't let anything happen to her. She was _his Rose_ and he would do anything to save her, even if that meant sacrificing himself.

"By bringing the Doctor back," he replied descending the stairs without looking back.

Pete followed him into the basement, across the room, and through a door at the end. He turned on the light. He ignored the look of shock on Pete's face. Rose was the only other person who'd been in this room. The steady hum of cooling fans from a dozen computers filled the room. The monitors were set up along the back wall.

"What are all these for?" Pete asked.

"Monitoring and stabilizing the window," John replied, offhandedly. Some of them had other purposes, but he didn't want to get into that right now. Not when his heart felt so heavy. He sat down at one of the computers and began typing.

"What's this?"

"If I'm going to do this I need to concentrate so if you wouldn't mind waiting for the tour," he snapped. Bringing back the one person who could take her away from him was going to be hard enough. He didn't want to have Pete distracting him the entire time. _He's her dad and he's worried too. _Guilt swept over him, but he pushed it aside and continued typing.

He needed to stabilize the window so he could do what needed to be done. The readings fluctuated. _Almost. _He heard Pete sit down in the chair next to him as his fingers flew across the keyboard. _There! _He stood up.

"What are you doing?" Pete asked.

"I've just finished stabilizing the window. Now I've got to send a message."

He walked out of the room and crossed the basement with Pete following.

"Where are you going?"

"I told you I've got to send a message. In order to do that I need to be near the window."

He wished Pete would just go home. He could do this alone. He'd prefer to do it alone. Emotions churned inside of him. Anger at himself for letting her be taken. Fear for what would happen to her if they found her. Frustration that his only option was to bring back the man she loved. Then there was anger at the Doctor, a lot of anger. For him leaving them there. For all the suffering Rose had gone through because of him. And for being who he was. _Her Doctor. _

Pete badgered him with questions, trying to figure out what he was doing. Why was he walking into the garage? There wasn't anything in the garage except the destroyed remains of a workbench and tool trolley. Only, that wasn't true. The window was in there too, but it couldn't be seen with the naked eye, but John knew where it was because he had created it.

"Pete," John said, loud enough to be heard over the other man. "I need you to wait outside."

He must have caught the look in John's eyes because he retreated outside without another question. John sighed. He looked into the empty space in front of him, knowing that he was about to destroy his only chance with the woman he loved, but he would do anything for her. He closed his eyes and reached out to the Doctor as only another Time Lord could do. He felt the thought leave his mind, travel through the window, and then through space and time until it found its destination.


	8. Answering the Call

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

* * *

He walked around the console flipping levers and pushing buttons. He didn't have a destination in mind, but he didn't always need one. She would take him somewhere to get his mind off things because she knew how he was feeling. He'd lost everyone. Death never came for him. It always came for those he loved.

Amy and River haunted him the most. His wife and his best-friend. Mother and daughter. Amy hadn't died in front of him as River had, but he was her _raggedy man_. He'd never hear her say those words again or stare down her fierce gaze. Reading her name on that tombstone below Rory's nearly killed him.

Then there was River. The brazen woman who could be so frustrating and so magnificent at the same time. He'd always known he was going to lose her because she died the first time he met her, back when he was a different man. He tried to run from her, but not even a Time Lord can escape his own future.

There was only one person he'd been closer to. Someone he never spoke of because even after all these years it still hurt. The person who taught him how to feel again…how to love. He kept that part of himself hidden. _Rose. _He pushed the name away before it brought back all the memories. He couldn't think about her, even now. It was too painful.

An invisible hand slapped his chest with enough force to almost send him sprawling. _What the? _He reached into his inside pocket and pulled out the psychic paper. The message must have traveled a long way to hit him with such force. As he read the words fear gripped his chest.

_Rose was taken._

He put his hand on the console to steady himself. It was from the _other _Doctor, the Meta-Crisis. Rose, _his Rose,_ had been taken. Taken by who? And why? Coordinates appeared below the message. He grabbed the console as the TARDIS rocked to the right, changing direction. She knew where he needed to go.

Fear and Anger wrestled for control. The _other_ Doctor was supposed to be taking care of her. How the hell did he let this happen? He wasn't dead or he couldn't have sent the message. _He bloody well will be when I get done with him! _

He'd left them together, had let her go, so that she could be happy and, most of all, safe. She could be with someone just like her Doctor, someone who shared the same feelings and memories as he did, but who had the same life expectancy. They could grow old together. It tore him apart to walk away from her, but he had done it for _her_. Now, she was in danger. If he had to tear a hole in the universe to get to her, he would.

He looked at the readings as the TARDIS materialized. There was a window. Not an actual window, though that could happen. It was a window into the universe he left Rose in. _Guess I won't have to punch a hole through. _It was too small for anything larger than a gnat, but he could make it bigger. He set to work expanding the window as quickly as possible.

He pushed buttons, flipped levers, and turned dials as he tried not to think about what might be happening to Rose as each second ticked by. _I'm coming, Rose. I promise. _He turned another dial and the TARDIS was moving again. No matter where she was or who had taken her he would find her.

He crossed the room as the TARDIS materialized. Opening the door and stepping outside he came face to face with the _other _Doctor. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his blue suit and red sneakers covered his feet. Anger bubbled to the surface as he glared into the half-Time Lord's deep brown eyes.

"What happened?" he growled, trying to keep himself from grabbing him.

"Roboforms," the _other _Doctor said.

"Roboforms?"

It was completely absurd. Roboforms didn't care about humans. There had been some after Donna, but they were being controlled by the Empress of the Racnoss and Donna was full of Huon energy at the time. Even if they wanted Rose for some strange reason these were Roboforms he was talking about. They weren't that hard to deal with.

"That's what I said."

"Why the _hell_ didn't you stop them?" he snapped.

The _other _Doctor winced at his words, but he didn't care. The half-Time Lord was supposed to keep her safe and he let them take her.

"I tried," the _other _Doctor growled, folding his arms.

He leaned close to the _other _Doctor's face, glaring into his eyes. "Obviously not hard enough!"

"At least I'm not the one who left her standing on a beach in Norway, running away like a coward!"

The anger that had been bubbling beneath the surface broke free. His hands shook. "Do you think it was easy for me to walk away? It was the hardest thing I ever did!" Rage coursed through his blood. "I ran for her! To save her!"

"If you left me with some way to protect her I could have prevent it," he snapped, holding the Doctor's gaze.

"Don't throw this back on me! You could have done _something_!" He started pacing, trying to calm himself down. He needed to find out what happened. Why would they be after her? "Do you have any idea why they took her?"

"Technically they took the TARDIS, but she was inside."

"They took Rose _and_ your TARDIS?" the Doctor shouted. "How could you let that happen?"

"I didn't let it happen! I ran into the house to find something to stop them with, but by the time I came back out they were transporting."

"Why did you leave her?"

"I distracted them so she could get inside the TARDIS. I didn't just leave her! I thought she'd be safe."

"Roboforms are scavengers and you thought she'd be safe in the one thing in the universe that every scavenger out there would love to get their hands on?"

"It's my fault, all right! I know it's my fault, but she's out there right now and this," the _other_ Doctor pointed between the two of them, "isn't going to help her. So, could we just get on with it?"

He was right. The Doctor resumed pacing as he tried to push the anger back down. Arguing wasn't going to get him anywhere and he needed to find her. She was in the TARDIS, but he knew she wouldn't stay there, at least not the Rose he remembered. Every time he told her to stay in the TARDIS he'd either turn around and find her standing beside him or she'd sneak out later.

"What's going on?" Pete asked, entering the garage.

"Pete," the Doctor said, beaming, as he grabbed the man's hand and shook it vigorously. "Pete Tyler. Good to see you, mate."

Pete gave him a perplexed look. "And who are you?"

"The Doctor. New face, I know, bit strange I'm sure, but I'm the same man."

"_You're_ the Doctor?" Pete asked, as if he didn't really believe it.

"Yeah, I think we covered that. How's Jackie and the baby, Rose mentioned that she was expecting."

"He's not a baby anymore."

"Oh, yeah, I suppose not. It has been a few years. You had a boy then. That's nice. What'd you call him?"

"Uh…Tony," Pete replied, hesitantly.

"Tony. That's nice. I knew someone who had a dog named Tony. No, wait, maybe it was a turtle."

"You've changed a lot. I mean, John told us that you changed, or at least, he told Rose and she told Jacks and me, but I guess it didn't really sink in."

"He did, did he?" the Doctor asked, eyeing the _other_ Doctor. So, he called himself John? "And how did you know?"

"I felt it," John said.

_That's strange_. Maybe it was a Meta-Crisis thing, either way he decided that now wasn't the time to think about that. Instead, he looked into Pete's eyes, resting a hand on the man's shoulder. "I _will_ find your daughter. I'll keep her safe, I promise."

"You, with me," he said to John as he spun around and headed into the TARDIS.

"What happened to you?" John asked as he closed the doors.

The Doctor spun around. He knew what John was implying. He was different, angrier. Not all the time, but right now. This moment. He was. Anger that he hadn't felt since Demon's Run bubbled just beneath the surface and he was having a hard time controlling it. Hell, he didn't even want to control it because Rose was out there somewhere, anything could be happening to her. He knew it wasn't entirely John's fault, but he couldn't help feeling like he should've done more.

"What happened to me? Lots of things happened to me, but if I had to pinpoint the precise moment when I started to change it would be the moment I decided to leave _her_ with _you_."

He regretted his words the moment they came out of his mouth. He was angry at the half-Time Lord, but he was also angry at himself. He should have left them a way to defend themselves, but he thought she'd be safe as long as she wasn't with him. It never crossed his mind that something like this might happen. A stab of guilt burned through his chest when he caught the wounded look in John's eyes, but he chose to push his guilt aside. Right now he needed to find Rose. He could apologize later.

He turned around and crossed the room to the console. If he could get a lock on the other TARDIS then he'd be able to find Rose.


	9. Captured

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

* * *

John flopped down on the metal steps in anger He watched the Doctor turn dials and flip leavers. _Who the hell does he think he is? _He knew he had some blame in what happened to Rose, but so did the Doctor. If he'd been so worried about Rose's safety then he should've left John with some way to protect her instead of dumping them both back in this universe with nothing.

As angry as he was he couldn't help looking around. Everything was different. The TARDIS was darker, less friendly, but she'd always been a reflection of the Doctor. Had giving up Rose really brought him to this place?

_No. _There had to be more to it than that. He'd seen fresh loss in the Time Lord's eyes and new pain. He wondered what the Doctor had gone through since that day on the beach. He knew he could be rude and brash, but the way the Doctor had looked at him, with rage boiling just beneath the surface, dishing out pain almost as if he relished making other people feel as bad as he did. He wasn't the same man.

"So, you call yourself, John Smith, then?" the Doctor asked.

If he'd been talking to anyone else they probably would've thought he'd calmed down, but John could hear the anger. It was farther away, but still there. He knew they'd have to work together to find Rose though so he decided to try to get along with him, for now.

"Doctor John Smith," John corrected.

"Not _the Doctor, _then?"

"I'm not the Doctor."

"No, you're not," the Doctor mumbled loud enough for John to hear. "What have you been doing with yourself?"

"I work for Torchwood," John replied, ignoring the Time Lord's insult.

"Torchwood? Really?" The Doctor scoffed, glancing at him.

"I suppose you wouldn't?"

"Ha! Found her!"

John jumped to his feet. "Where?"

The Doctor flipped a switch and John had to grab onto the railing to keep from falling over. The Doctor ran to one of the control panels. _Why does he have a console and control panels? _He flipped switches and pushed buttons then raced back to the console. They pitched sideways.

"Where is she?" John repeated.

The Doctor grabbed one of the monitors. John saw his face fall. "Oh, that's bad. That's really, extremely not good."

"What is it?" John looked at the monitor. "What? But that's…that's-"

"Not possible," the Doctor finished.

Rose felt the TARDIS moving, but everything was silent inside. She'd felt this before. Back at Canary Wharf when she'd stayed inside the Doctor's TARDIS as it was loaded onto a truck. Someone outside was moving them. The Roboforms? It had to be, but why?

Her mind raced back to the day the Doctor regenerated. Many Christmas Eve's ago. She thought about what he told her about them. They were scavengers. They probably wanted to tear the TARDIS apart and use her heart for power, like they'd wanted to use the Doctor.

She knew she was safe as long as she stayed inside. They couldn't get in. The only time he'd been worried about a breach was when they were in the Medusa Cascade, but this wasn't a full Dalek Empire. They were just scavenger robots, but then, she glanced at the dark console, this TARDIS wasn't the Doctor's TARDIS. It wasn't quite finished. _What if I'm not protected? What if those doors are just wooden doors? _

Her stomach knotted in fear as she realized how much danger she was in. She was in a TARDIS that didn't work, being taken by alien robots, probably to their space ship. And where would they take her? She didn't have an answer and she realized, as cold fingers crept up her spine, it didn't matter because she'd never be able to get back.

Her eyes burned. She'd never see her mum, or dad, or little brother ever again. She was flying away from earth on a space ship and no one help her.

"No," she growled, pushing away the fear as she wiped her eyes. "I've fought everything from Daleks and Cybermen to ghosts and werewolves. I'm not going to let some scavenger robots beat me."

_If I'm on a space ship then it should have shuttles, like life rafts on a regular ship, yeah? _She had no idea if she could pilot one, but it was her best shot. She cracked the door open and peered out. She was in a large room filled with crates, sacks and metal boxes. She didn't see any Roboforms, so she took a breath and stepped out before she lost her nerve.

She looked around the room for something she could use as a weapon. She needed to be able to defend herself in case she ran into one of those robots. She dug through the first sack she came across. Nothing, but old relics, great for a museum, but too delicate to use for defense. She walked to the next sack and began rummaging through it.

"Don't move," a deep voice shouted behind her.

She froze. Roboforms couldn't talk, could they? She didn't remember any of the ones that had been after the Doctor saying a single word.

"Turn around," the voice commanded.

Her stomach knotted in fear. She was trapped. John, the man she'd grown to love, was back on earth with no way of helping her and the Doctor, _her Doctor_, was off in a parallel universe having adventures with new companions, completely oblivious to the danger she was about to face. If she died no one would ever know. She turned around slowly, prepared to face the end.


	10. Allons-y and Geronimo

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

The Doctor stared at the screen. His wits threatening to abandon him as he realized how much danger she was in. _My Rose._

"No! No!" he shouted slamming his fist into the console before trying to tear the monitor off its hinge.

It wasn't possible! It couldn't be! But there it was on the screen. _Rasula. _How could she possibly be here? She died. He was there! He watched it happen. This was bad. This was really, really, extremely not good. This was the Cybermen, plus the Daleks, plus Madam Kovarian bad with another suitcase of bad on top.

But how…how did she get here? Even in a parallel universe she shouldn't exist. Not yet. The last time he'd seen her was in 2287. Over twelve hundred years in the future.

"We have to get her out of there," John said.

"Don't you think I know that? This is bad. This is really- How is she even here? It's not possible! She should be dead!"

The Doctor started flipping levers and turning dials as he raced between the console and the control panels.

"It doesn't matter how she's here. We have get Rose out of there before-"

"Yes, John, thank you!" the Doctor fumed, eyeing the half-Time Lord. "I'm well aware of what will happen to Rose if Rasula finds her before we do!"

Rasula knew the TARDIS. She'd never been inside and she wasn't really sure what it was, only that it was a powerful ship. She'd tried to get her hands on it last time they met, which is how she died. He hadn't met for her to die, but he wasn't as sorry as he would've been if she wasn't so sadistic. She wasn't above torturing to get what she wanted. _Oh, Rose. _

He couldn't let that happen. Not to her. Not to _his Rose._ Rage rose to the surface as he thought about what might happen…what might be happening…

"You're locked onto my TARDIS. You should be able to get her out of there-" John began.

"Yes, I could get your TARDIS out of there! Of course, I could! But what about Rose? I'm not leaving her there!"

"She's in the TARDIS."

"Really? Are you sure about that?" the Doctor snapped, turning around to face John. "The Rose that I remember never stayed where she was supposed to. Remember when she was left in the TARDIS at Canary Wharf? She stole a lab coat and tried to use my psychic paper on one of their scientists. Wound up trapped in a room with a bunch of Daleks."

The TARDIS began to materialize. By locking onto John's TARDIS he was able to land in close proximity.

"I didn't think about that."

Worry was clearly etched on John's face. The Doctor softened, feeling guilty for being so hard on him. They both loved her and wanted her to be safe. _I did leave him empty handed. Dumped him off with nothing more than a wave goodbye. _He cleared his throat and straightened his bowtie.

"All right, then, best get to it," the Doctor said.

"Do you have a plan?"

"Plan? When have _I _ever needed a plan?" the Doctor asked, pulling out his sonic screwdriver and flipping it in the air.

He gave John a smile that the half-Time Lord returned, then they raced to the door together. The Doctor cracked it open and peered outside. They were in a vast room filled with crates, sacks, and metal boxes.

John's TARDIS was on the other side. Three Roboforms guarded it. A hallway led off to the right. That was the only way out of the room. Not too bad. He could take them out with his sonic screwdriver, but it wasn't instantaneous. He'd need to focus on each one for…for… He tapped the sonic against his forehead as he calculated. …six seconds. They were armed so, six seconds for the first one and in that time the other two could fire, but if he managed to take out the first one he'd have to do the same for the second and during that time the third would be free to attack them.

"They haven't noticed us," John commented.

"They wouldn't have," the Doctor replied. "She's cloaked."

"Cloaked? You fixed it?" John asked, leaning against the other door.

"We can get into that later, right now we need to get rid of those," the Doctor said, pointing at the Roboforms.

* * *

John looked at the Roboforms guarding his TARDIS, mentally kicking himself for letting them take Rose. _I should've stopped them. _He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. His mind worked through a way to get to her and he came to one conclusion. The Doctor needed a distraction.

He looked into the Time Lord's old eyes, eyes that had seen the birth of the universe and the fall of great civilizations. Eyes like his own, but he could see that the darkness had grown since the last time he looked into them, but it was hidden below the worry and love that swirled behind his green irises. He felt a stab of fear as he realized that even if they saved Rose he would lose her. He pushed the fear aside. There wasn't time for that right now.

"I'll distract them," John said.

"It's too dangerous," the Doctor insisted.

John paused, taken back. Was the Doctor trying to protect him? He was shocked when he realized that some of the worry in the Time Lord's eyes was directed at him. Well, he wasn't just any old human, he was half-Time Lord and he sure as hell wasn't going to stay inside the TARDIS while the Doctor went after the woman he loved. _The woman we love. _

"You're never going to get inside alone."

"I can't let you-"

"Oh, you just try and stop me. Allons-y!" John exclaimed, running out the door shouting, "Oi, over here you great big piles of metal!"

He ducked behind some crates as the Roboforms started shooting. His heart pounded in his chest as a smile spread across his face. _I'm back! Oh, yes! _He was scared and exhilarated at the same time. It was the first time that he'd run for his life since the Medusa Cascade and he felt brilliant!

* * *

The Doctor couldn't believe John had just raced out the door. _He should know better. _Still, he couldn't help smiling. _Geronimo! _He raced out the door, watching the Roboforms chase after John as he ducked behind a crate.

He wove his way between the crates trying to get as close to one of the Roboforms as he could without being seen. When he was close enough he aimed his sonic at the nearest one and held down the button. It emitted the familiar high-pitched warble. It wasn't loud enough for the Roboforms to hear over their firing.

_Come on! Come on! _The Roboform nearest him slumped forward and then fell over, deactivated. The other two didn't seem to notice because John used that moment to peek over the crate he was hiding behind. He ducked back down, just missing a beam that whizzed over his head.

_Don't be an idiot, John! You're going to get yourself killed! _The Doctor moved closer while keeping hidden behind the crates. He aimed his sonic at the next Roboform and held the button, mentally counting down the seconds. It fell over, bringing about the attention of the last one. The Doctor ducked as the Roboform began shooting at him.

* * *

John crouched behind the crate. He heard another Roboform go down. _Brilliant! _Only one left. Carefully, he peeked over the crate. The last Roboform was shooting at crates on the other side of the room as the Doctor ran and dodged between them.

He needed to give the Doctor time to take it down. He stood up. "Oi! I'm over here!" he shouted, spreading his arms out and slapping his chest.

The Roboform turned and fired. John jumped out of the way as the crate he'd been hiding behind exploded. A large splinter of wood stabbed into his leg.

_Well, isn't that just wizard! _

Pain lanced through his thigh, but he forced himself to ignore it as he stood up and half hobbled, half ran toward another crate. He ducked from one to the next as the Roboform shot at him.

The distraction of running for his life helped take his mind off the dark thoughts that had plagued him since he found out who had taken the TARDIS. If Rasula got her hands on Rose… _No! _He pushed the thought away. If he let himself think about that then he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself from bolting down the corridor to find her, probably getting himself killed in the process, which wouldn't help her.

The room was quiet. John peered around the crate he was hiding behind. The Doctor stood over the last Roboform.

"It's all right, John, you can come out," he called.

John limped across the room. His leg throbbed with pain, but he could withstand a hundred shards of wood if it meant Rose was safe. He pulled out the key and opened the door. The Doctor followed him inside.

"Rose?" he called, but the control room was empty. She wasn't here. If Rasula had her he'd never forgive himself. "She might be in one of the other rooms." He doubted it, but he was hoping it was true as he hobbled through the control room.

"I'll look while you tend to your leg," the Doctor said.

"It can wait," John insisted.

He had to find her. He couldn't stop to worry about himself. Not until they found her and he knew that she was safe. The shard of wood was still in his leg, but he was fairly sure it hadn't hit any arteries. It could wait.

"You're half-human, John. You can't regenerate or heal yourself. Besides, you're not going to be any use to her if you're hobbling around like an old man."

He didn't want to admit it, but he knew the Doctor was right. He wouldn't be much help in this shape. Hobbling over to a chair and sat down to take a look at the damage to his leg.

* * *

The Doctor jogged down the hall, poking his head in every room he came across to call out one name, "Rose!" He was greeted by silence each time. His stomach knotted in fear. _Please, be here! Please! _

If she wasn't in the TARDIS… If Rasula had captured her… Images of the torture machines she used ran through his mind. Everything that she had done as an inquisitor for the Sanction. It was her job to get information on the rebels of her world by any means necessary and she'd been very good at her job.

He stopped dead in his tracks. _No! _The corridor ended. _No, no, no, no, no!_ She wasn't there. He spun around and raced back to the control room.

He tried to push the images away, but they flew into his mind, unbidden. Crumpled prisoners tortured to the point of breaking. _Rose. Oh, Rose._

He needed to find her NOW! How long had it been since she left the safety of the TARDIS? Was she still on the ship? Was he already too late? He forced the dark thoughts aside.

"With me!" he yelled to John as he sprinted through the control room and out the doors.

He raced into his TARDIS and began flipping levers and turning dials. His first instinct was to search the ship and find her, but he needed to distract Rasula long enough to find Rose.

"What are you doing?" John asked hopping through the door.

"Your TARDIS is a child of mine. I can initiate Emergency Programme One from here."

"Why?"

"Rasula's interested in the TARDIS. If I send it back she'll notice and that should give me enough time to find Rose before anything happens."

"Brilliant! Wait. Won't that set alarms off?"

"Probably, but my TARDIS is cloaked."

He flipped another lever.

"There."

He ran for the door, but stopped when he heard John following. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To find Rose."

"You're already injured-"

"I'm not asking for your permission!" John snapped.

He quelled his impulse to throttle the half-Time Lord. He knew John was worried about her too, but he needed to find her as fast as possible. _Before_… He pushed the thought aside.

"I _will_ find her, John, but you have to let me go alone. That injury to your leg will slow us down."

"Fine," John said, crossing his arms.

The Doctor stared at the half-Time Lord for a minute. He'd expected more of an argument. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided not to press his luck. He darted out the door and across the room before John changed his mind.


	11. No Chance of Escape

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

Rose struggled as a Roboform held her down in the chair while a man in a black uniform strapped her arms and legs in place. At first she thought he was controlling the Roboforms, but he'd talked to an unseen woman through a communication device on his wrist. She had no idea who they were.

"Let me go!" she screamed.

A woman laughed through the speakers in the room. Rose's stomach dropped.

"Who are you?"

"Didn't he tell you about me?"

What was she talking about? _Maybe she thinks I'm someone else. _"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me!" the woman fumed.

The man tightened the restraint holding Rose's wrist, making her cry out.

"Now, now, Lerson, don't damage her too much before I get what I want."

Before she gets what she wants? What was that supposed to mean? Rose struggled, but between Lerson and the Roboform she could barely move.

"I think you've made a mistake. I-I got here by accident," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Oh, I don't think so. You see, I left Lerson down in the holding area to keep an eye on the TARDIS. I knew sooner or later someone would come out. I was hoping it would be the Doctor, but you'll do."

The Doctor? How did she know about him? Had they brought her to his universe? No, he said crossing between parallel universes was impossible. She'd only managed it before because the walls of reality were breaking down. Had something happened?

"I can see from the look on your face that you weren't expecting that. Has something happened to him? I hope not. I was looking forward to catching up," she laughed.

"You can see me, yeah? Why can't I see you?"

The woman laughed. "Oh, you're feisty aren't you? I can see why the Doctor brought you with him."

"How do you know the Doctor?"

"Oh, we're old…acquaintances."

"Not friends then?" Rose asked, wishing the Doctor really was there. If she had been brought to his universe then maybe she had a chance.

"No, I don't think you could call us friends. I knew he traveled in space and time, but I didn't know he traveled through parallel universes too," the woman said ignoring Rose's question.

Rose's stomach sunk. That let that out. She was still in her universe. No Doctor. No chance of escape.

Lerson finished strapping her legs in. He crossed the room and walked out the door leaving her alone with the Roboform that took a position near the door, as if it was guarding her.

Rose twisted her wrist right and then left. If she could grab hold of the end of the strap maybe she could work it off.

"You might as well give up. There really is no chance of escape," the woman sneered.

"Thanks, but I'd rather try."

"If you tell me about the TARDIS I'll let you go."

"The TARDIS?"

"How do I get in? How does it open?"

"I don't know," she lied.

"You'll tell me one way or the other. I was trying to make things easier on you, but if you're going to insist on being difficult I can persuade you to talk."

Rose was about to shout back an insult when the door opened. Lerson returned pushing what appeared to be a large laser. What the hell was that?

"What is that?" Rose asked, unable to keep her voice from rising.

"Persuasion," the woman replied.

A chill ran up her spine as Lerson positioned it on the other side of the room, aiming it directly at her. Was he going to shoot her? No, they wouldn't get any information about the TARDIS if she was dead. Maybe it was just to scare her.

"I've faced Dalek's and Cybermen. Do you think a laser is going to scare me?" she yelled, trying to make herself believe she was as strong as she tried to sound.

"It's not a laser."

"Then what is it?"

"Tell me about the TARDIS," the woman demanded.

"What TARDIS?" Rose asked. There was no way she was going to tell them anything.

Lerson flipped a switch on the machine. A red beam of light engulfed her. She screamed as every nerve in her body ignited. The TARDIS, John, and even her family were lost as pain flared through her body. Then Lerson flipped the switch off.

She let out a quavering breath. She felt weak, drained, but the pain was still fresh in her mind. How long would she be able to last? She couldn't tell them about the TARDIS. She knew what would happen, but she also knew that she wouldn't be able to take much more of that…that thing.

The sound of an alarm filled the room. Was something wrong with the ship? She hoped so. Maybe it would blow up. She'd rather die now than live long enough to betray the Doctor and John.

"Did the Doctor come with you?"

It took her a moment to realize that the woman was talking to her. She lifted her head.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

She screamed as the red beam engulfed her. _Make it stop! Please, make it stop! _Tears ran down her cheeks. Lerson turned the beam off.

"Who else is on my ship?" the woman demanded.

"I…I don't…know," Rose said. "I came…alone."

No one knew where she was. John saw the Roboforms, but his TARDIS was on the ship with her. He had no way to get to her. She wished it was him. Him or the Doctor, but wishing the Doctor would walk through the door wasn't going to make it happen.


	12. Search and Capture

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

The Doctor cautiously walked down the corridor, gripping his sonic screwdriver in one hand. He'd taken out two more Roboforms, but he hadn't found Rose yet. His lips were set in a grim line, the fury inside of him barely held at bay.

He felt guilty for leaving John in the TARDIS. He told himself that the half-Time Lord would slow him down because of his leg, but that wasn't the only reason. Every time he looked at John he was reminded of the kiss Rose shared with him. His mind imagined what must have happened next.

Romantic dinners, dancing – she liked to dance – strolls along the beach… That brought him back to the kiss and he would've kicked something if it was near.

_Why? Why does it matter so much? _It had been years since he left her standing on the beach with John. Longer than it had been for her. Longer than most human's lived. How could he still care so much after all that time? But he knew. Even as logic tried to tell him that his feelings should have faded by now he knew they hadn't and they never would because he didn't rescued her, she rescued him.

She was _his Rose _and nothing would ever change that. She was the only one he couldn't be selfish with. She'd seen into his soul, knew his darkest secrets and she still loved him.

_Used to love me._ She probably still cared about him because that was Rose. She cared about everyone. That's one of the reasons he fell in love with her, but she'd been with John for a few years. Not long to a Time Lord, but to a human who was left standing on a beach with a replica of the man she loved…

He slowed down as he drew up on another corner. Holding his sonic ready he peered around the edge. Empty. There was a door on the other side. He rounded the corner keeping his eye on the door and inched closer.

He tried the handle, slowly. _Locked. _He used his sonic to unlock it and carefully turned the handle, gave it a push and stepped back. A Roboform reached for him. He held the button down, pointing his sonic at it as it emanated the high-pitched warble.

The Roboform took a step forward, reaching toward him as it shook.

_Come on! Come on! _

It slumped forward and fell over.

He stepped into the room. Some sort of monitoring station. No one else was in the room. Where was everyone? And more importantly, where was Rasula?

He walked over to the desk to search it, hoping to find some clue as to where they were keeping Rose, but the image on the monitor made his stomach drop. _Rose! _She was strapped down to a chair surrounded by a red light. He couldn't hear her scream, but he could see it. His jaw clenched. Rasula had gone too far.

He straightened his bowtie and then sat down in the chair. If they had a camera on her then he should be able to find it. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he traced the feed. _Almost…Almost… There! _Down the end of this corridor, a right, and a left.

He stood up, gripped his sonic and sprinted out the door and down the corridor. _Rose, I'm coming! _Nothing in the universe would keep him from getting to her.

* * *

John crept down the corridor. He didn't care what the Doctor thought he _should_ do, he wasn't going to sit in the TARDIS and wait. It was his fault Rose was there. He should have realized the TARDIS would release trace energy while she matured. He had a Time Lord brain, after all. If something happened to her he'd never be able to forgive himself.

She was the only thing that mattered to him. He didn't even care if she chose the Doctor over him as long as she was alive. Well, he did care, but he would rather live with that than the pain he would feel if she died. And it would be his fault. Completely his fault.

He rounded the next corner. The corridor stretched out before him. He could see doors at the other end. He quickened his pace, hoping she'd be behind one of them and that her captor hadn't done anything to her.

When he realized who had taken her he felt like the ground had opened up and swallowed him. Rasula shouldn't even be alive. What the hell was she doing piloting a scavenger ship out of her time zone?

He had to find Rose before something happened. Before her captor could… He pushed those thoughts away because they threatened to bring out the darkness. The darkness he shared with the Doctor.

He reached the first door, but before he could turn the handle it opened and four Roboforms swarmed out. He reached into his pocket and remembered, for the second time, that he didn't have a sonic screwdriver. _Wizard._

He turned around to run back the other way, but his path was blocked by… "Rasula," he hissed.

She wore a tight fitting black uniform similar to the one she was wearing the last time he saw her, but this one had shoulder armor. Her ebony hair was pulled back into a sever bun.

"Doctor?" she asked.

John raised his eyebrow. _Doctor? _"Um…no, sorry, I'm John. John Smith. I know I wasn't supposed to leave the in flight movie, but I was just looking for the kitchen. Fancied a banana shake."

"Grab him," she ordered.

The Roboforms grabbed his arms.

"Was it the bananas? Vanilla would be fine or chocolate. I fancy chocolate too."

Rasula walked up to John and grabbed his chin. She gazed into his eyes.

"Sorry, what are you doing?" John asked. "Are you an eye doctor or something?"

She released him. "Stand still."

"Why?"

She pulled out a device that looked similar to the Doctor's sonic.

"What's tha-"

He let out a yell as she grabbed his hand and put the device against his skin. A sharp pain lanced through his hand.

"Time Lords can change their face," she said as she flicked the device closed.

"Change their face? Really? What's a Time Lord?"

"This tests DNA."

John blanched. "DNA?" The humor was gone from his voice. If she could test his DNA she'd find out…

"Interesting," she said. "You're not a Time Lord, well, not quite."

His facade shattered John narrowed his eyes. "Where's Rose."

"Rose?"

"You have her. Where is she?"

"The blonde girl?"

"I swear if you've done anything to her I'll-"

"You'll what? I really don't think you're in any position to make threats, Mr. Smith. If that is your name."

"Where is she?" he growled.

"She's preoccupied right now. I don't think she's really up to visitors at the moment. Take him to the ship."

_Ship? What ship? _John struggled against the Roboforms, but they held him firmly as they drug him down the corridor. Was Rose on the other ship? If she was this might be his only chance to find her.


	13. Rescue

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

The Doctor raced down the corridor. The door was just ahead. The image of Rose being tortured burned through his mind like fire. He threw open the door, expecting to find Roboforms or Rasula, but nothing came out to attack him.

_Rose! No! _She was strapped down in a chair. Her head hung down. He ran to her side and felt for a pulse. Her heartbeat was faint, but she was alive. The speaker on the wall crackled to life.

"Hello, Doctor."

He stood up abruptly. "Rasula," he growled.

"I've been expecting you."

"Where are you?"

"Aboard my other ship. Sorry I couldn't wait around. You know how very busy I am."

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing she'll soon forget."

He growled wanting to kick something. Instead, he forced his emotions down. "How did you get here?"

"You mean, how did I survive after you left me aboard a ship that was self-destructing?" She paused. "Time Lords aren't the only ones who can travel in time. I came into possession of similar technology before we met. I hadn't tested it yet because the time agent died before I could get her to talk, but I kept it with me to use in an emergency."

That told him why she was in that time, but not how she was able to cross into a parallel universe. "But how did you get _here_? In this universe?"

"I can't give out all of my secrets. What would we talk about next time?"

"You better hope there isn't a next time."

"Oh, there will be because I know how you can't stand to leave anyone behind, Doctor."

_Leave anyone behind? _"What do you mean?"

"She wasn't the only stowaway I found." _John! Damn it! I told him to stay in the TARDIS. _"This one's rather interesting. Not quite human."

He clenched his jaw. "Let him go!"

"And why would I do that?"

"If you don't-"

"I left you a consolation prize. Now, I'm off to have a little chat with Mr. Smith."

"Rasula!" the Doctor yelled. "Let him go!" The speaker remained quiet. "Rasula!"

He growled in frustration. She had John and there wasn't anything he could do. _They never listen! Why don't they ever listen? _John should have known better. He kicked at the air.

His eyes darted back to Rose. He had to hurry before he was too late to help her too. He unfastened the straps around her writs. Her skin was raw where the straps had been. Probably from her straining. His anger burned like fire inside of him. He released her ankles then lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his chest as he made his way back to his TARDIS.

"Hold on, Rose. Please, hold on," he whispered.

The faint hint of strawberry drifted from her hair as he shifted her in his arms. Pain seared through his chest as he thought about the first time he'd smelled it. It was the first time she flung herself into his arms to hug him.

She once told her mother how she was lucky to be able to travel with him. But he'd been lucky to be able to travel with her. To have her smile shine on him for even one minute. _My beautiful, compassionate Rose. _The girl who was always putting herself between him and whatever danger they faced. _I want you safe. My Doctor._ She had taken the heart of the TARDIS inside of her, seen _all that is and ever will be _to save him.

As he walked across the holding area toward his TARDIS he wasn't sure if he would have the strength to bury his feelings for her again.

The TARDIS doors opened. He carried Rose over the threshold, through the control room, and back to her bedroom. Even after all these years he'd never had the heart to dismantle it. He doubted the TARDIS would have let him. Instead, it was carefully tucked away like a precious memory.

After he slipped her into bed he held her wrist and used some of his regeneration energy to heal her and stabilize her heart. He could at least do that much. He wanted to take her pain away. Everything that she had gone through today. He could, but he wouldn't because he didn't want to pry into her mind.

He walked to the door and gave her one last glace before turning off the light and closing the door. Now that she was safe he headed to the control room to look for John. He had no idea how he was going to find the half-Time Lord, but Rose had already lost so much. He was damned if she was going to lose the man she'd built a new life with too.

He chastised himself for being petty and leaving John in the TARDIS. He should have known the half-Time Lord wouldn't stay behind. _He_ wouldn't have. Why should he expect anything different from John?

He crossed the control room and began fiddling with the console. He wasn't used to the feelings that stirred inside of him. He'd locked them away a long time ago. The day he walked away from her on that beach. A lifetime ago, but when he saw her it seemed like yesterday. It was the same way he felt when he saw her at the other end of that dark street.

None of that mattered though because she was with John and the half-Time Lord loved her. He'd seen that much in John's eyes and that was good because she deserved to be with someone who loved her. Someone she could spend her life with, age with, not someone who remained young while her body withered. _Human. She's human. _He tried to reinforce his will with that statement, but it didn't work as well this time. _I can't lose her. If she stays with me she'll die. _That worked because he knew it was true. He'd lost everyone. He couldn't lose her too. Not her. Not _my Rose._


	14. Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

Rose opened her eyes. _Bed. I'm in bed. Was it all a nightmare? _The pain that had burned through her body was still fresh in her mind. No, it couldn't have been a dream. It was too real.

Slowly she looked around the room. She recognized it. Pink wallpaper, the wardrobe, shelves, all of it. This was her room back when she traveled with the Doctor on the…

A man was sitting in a chair next to her bed, watching her. She sat up. Was she on the TARDIS? Was she dreaming? Or was that woman playing some twisted joke on her?

"Hello," he said, setting down the book he'd been reading and taking off the round glasses.

"H-hello," she stammered. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor."

_The Doctor? _John told her he regenerated, but he looked so _different_. Then again, he looked a lot different the first time too. Maybe she just didn't believe it or didn't want to, but _blimey he's different. _Is he wearing a bowtie?

"Doctor?" she asked, apprehensively.

He got up and sat down on the edge of her bed. She sat up farther, feeling a little invaded. He looked into her eyes and held her gaze.

His green eyes were so unlike the deep brown she remembered, but there was something familiar about them. Could it really be him? Could it really be _her Doctor_?

"Hello, Rose Tyler," he said.

"You look…different."

"Good different or bad different?" he asked, repeating the same question he'd asked the first time he regenerated on her.

She couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. He joined her and when she finally stopped she glanced at him. He was smiling at her, but even his smile had changed. It almost seemed…sad.

"Just different," she said.

The Doctor was here. He must have saved her and brought her back to the TARDIS. All those years she spent trying to find a way back and here he was. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, some she wanted to yell at him about, but she found that she didn't know where to start.

The Doctor watched her intently. He couldn't help the smile that appeared the moment she opened her eyes. Of course he knew she was going to be all right, but still, he'd been worried.

All he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and hold her, but he knew that she wasn't used to him. Not like this. So, he restrained himself. When he sat on her bed she shifted, as if she didn't trust him. Rose, _his Rose, _didn't trust him. He felt a stab of pain.

He held her gaze though, hoping that she would somehow recognize him. _Her Doctor. _Then her eyes softened.

"You're here," she said. "You're really here."

She reached up as if to touch his cheek and oh, he wanted her to. He wanted her to touch him. To feel her skin against his, but she pulled back as if she wasn't sure.

"Definitely, really here," he said, giving her another smile.

She laughed. "You're mad, you know that?"

"Mad man with a box. Yes, I tell everyone."

She laughed harder, giving him a playful shove, which made him laugh. He had to stop himself from hugging her again. She was here. In the TARDIS with him. Rose Tyler in the TARDIS with the Doctor. He finally had her back. _My Rose._

"You're completely mental."

"I've been called worse."

She threw back the covers and started to get up. "I can't get up with you sitting there like that."

"You need to rest."

"If you think I'm going to stay in bed all day you better think again," she said, shoving him out of the way.

He stood up and offered his hand. She took it and again he had a compulsion to hug her. He resisted, but to his surprise after she stood up she threw herself into his arms and squeezed him. He was so stunned he didn't know what to do for a minute, but then he realized he did. He lifted her off the ground, like he used to with a smile spreading across his face. _My Rose. I'm never letting you go again._

She couldn't believe it. He was back! _My Doctor. _She had him back at last. She wasn't sure until that moment. As her feet left the ground she knew. It was the same way he used to hug her. At least that hadn't changed. He released her and she slapped his arm.

"Oi, what was that for?" he asked.

"You left me standing on a beach in Norway!" she yelled.

His eyes clouded over and for the first time since she woke up she could see the pain. More than there used to be. _Oh, Doctor what happened to you? _He was sad, so sad. Her heart ached as a wave of guilt crashed over her.

"I know," he said. "I'm sorry I did that to you, Rose. I was trying to protect you. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know," she said, hugging him again.

She wanted to ask him what happened? Why did he look so sad? He released her and she stepped back.

"How did you get here, anyway?"

"Ah, well, it seems John has been trying to open a window into my universe."

John's name brought another wave of guilt crashing over her. She had completely forgotten about him. Completely forgotten about the man that she'd been about to say I love you to. And she did. She loved John, but she knew she still had feelings for the Doctor too, only, she wasn't sure if she was still _in love_ with him.

She felt conflicted. Here was the man. The mad, impulsive man who had grabbed her hand in the basement of a department store and whispered one word – _run_. The man she said forever to. He had taken her on adventures and saved her life more times then she could count. Her wonderful, crazy Doctor who had taken her to the beginning of the universe and the end of the Earth.

Then there was John. Who looked like the old Doctor, but wasn't the Doctor. He'd been there for her on the worst day of her life and even though she'd pushed him away he stayed. _He's your friend. Your best-friend, remember? He's not in love with you anymore. _But was the Doctor?

It'd been a few years since that day on the beach, but his eyes. He looked older, much older. How long had it been for him? Ten years? Twenty? How long did it take a Time Lord to fall out of love?

The Doctor regretted bringing up John's name because now he was going have to tell her. She'd already suffered so much he didn't want to pile more on top, but she had to know. He took her cheek in his hand, tilting her head up and gazed into her eyes.

"There's something I need to tell you, Rose," he said.

"What?" she asked.

He could see the confusion and apprehension in her eyes, as if she knew he was about to tell her something bad. Completely and utterly not good. He didn't want to tell her. He wanted to shield her from more pain, but this was the man he'd left her with. The man she'd built a new life with.

"It's John."

Fear flooded into her hazel eyes. _Oh, Rose. I'm so sorry. _He steadied himself and it was hard because all he wanted to do was embrace her. Wrap his arms around her and tell her that everything was going to be all right, but he couldn't because it wasn't all right. John, the man she loved, was gone. The Doctor would get him back, but right now, at that moment, he was gone.

"What? What about John, Doctor?"

"He's gone." She stepped back, pulling away from him.

"Gone? But, how? How can he be gone?" she asked as tears filled her eyes.

"Rasula took him."

"Rasula? That…that woman who…?"

His chest constricted as her shoulders slumped. He reached for her, bending close to rest his forehead against hers. "Rose, I promise, I _will_ find him."

"No," she said, firmly.

_No? _He pulled back and gazed into her eyes. Why was she telling him… "No?"

"_We'll_ find him. Together, yeah?" she said.

"No," he said, shaking his head as he stepped back. "It's too dangerous. I'm taking you home."

"No, you're not! I'm coming with you," she insisted.

There was no way he was going to let her come with him. Rasula was too dangerous.

"No, no way. I'm taking you back and that's final," he snapped, striding to the door.

"You're not dropping me back on Earth!"

He growled in frustration, crossing the room to stand in front of her. _Why? Why did she have to be this?_ The girl who never listened. The girl who never stayed put, but, instead, threw herself into danger. Striding parallel universe to parallel universe just to get back to him. The girl who looked into the heart of the TARDIS just to keep him safe. Didn't she understand how dangerous it was? He wanted _her_ safe. Back home and safe.

He'd given his life to save her and he'd do so again, willingly, because she was _his Rose. _It didn't matter what happened to him as long as she was safe. Alive and safe.

"I'm taking you back!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" she insisted, folding her arms across her chest and lifting her eyebrows.

And just like that there she was. His beautiful, stubborn girl, looking at him with the same resolve she had all those years ago when she transported back to him at Canary Wharf. _I made my choice a long time ago. _His stony resolve crumbled. He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her with a smile spreading across his face. _My Rose. _

He wanted to stay like that forever as the scent of strawberries hung in the air around them, but they had to find John. He pulled away, resting his hands on her shoulders as he gazed into her eyes.

"Together then?" he asked.

"Together," she agreed.


	15. Prisoner John

John sat on the floor of the small, dimly lit room with his back against the metal wall. It was more of a cell than a room. The Roboforms had transported him aboard the ship and then locked him in there. If he had his sonic screwdriver he could've broken out hours ago, found Rose, and then figured out a way to get off the ship, but he didn't because he'd never had a sonic. It belonged to the Doctor.

He hit his head against the back of the wall in frustration. There had to be a way to save her. He didn't want to think about what Rasula might've done to her. Might still be doing to her, but his imagination had a mind of its own.

_Why didn't I think about the trace energy? Why did I tell her to get in the TARDIS? _He should've distracted the Roboform and sent her to the house then none of this would've happened. Even if it would've killed him at least she would be okay.

The door slid open. He stood up as two Roboforms entered with Rasula. Anger exploded inside of him and without a second thought he lunged for her, but the Roboforms caught his arms before he reached her.

"Ah, ah, ah," Rasula chided, waging her finger at him.

"Where is she? What have you done to her?" John growled.

"Are you still on about the blonde?" Rasula asked, stepping closer to him.

"Let her go! I don't care what you do to me, just let her go!"

"I'm afraid it's too late for that."

_Too late? _John's stomach tightened in fear.

"What do you mean by that? What did you do to her?"

"I can't let her go because I don't have her," Rasula explained as she walked around John, looking him over as if she was assessing merchandise.

"Where is she?" he demanded, straining against the Roboforms.

"If you must know, I left her on the scavenger ship, but don't worry the Doctor found her. If I had known you were that attached to her I would've brought her along."

She left Rose behind? It didn't make sense. Rasula didn't leave prisoners behind, at least, not ones who were still alive.

"Why did you leave her?"

"I thought you'd be happy to know she was safe," Rasula said, eyeing him silently for a minute. "I wasn't planning on leaving her behind at first, but then I came across something far more interesting. I decided to leave her behind as a distraction, giving me enough time to get away."

_Something more interesting? _"What did you find?" John asked.

"I found you. Half-Time Lord, half-human. It doesn't get more interesting than that."

He wasn't sure what she was getting at. It was true that half-Time Lords were rare. Actually, as far as he knew he and Donna were the only ones in existence. Only, the Doctor had to take her memories away to save her life so she didn't really know.

"Why does it matter to you that I'm half-Time Lord. You realize that physically I'm human. I've only got one heart and I can't regenerate."

"I'm more interested in your mind."

_My mind? _"What do you mean?"

"I want the TARIDS Mr. Smith and you're going to help me get it."

"Not bloody likely," John said.

"You don't have to be willing. I have other ways of getting the information. Take him to Chamber One."

"Chamber what?" John asked as the Roboforms drug him out the door and down the corridor.

If she thought she was going to get information out of him about the TARDIS she was wrong. There was no way he was going to let her get her hands on it. In the wrong hands the TARDIS could be the most dangerous weapon in the universe.

"So, we're going to Chamber One then?" he asked the Roboforms as they turned down another corridor. "What's in there?"

"You'll find out soon enough, Mr. Smith," Rasula said from behind him.

"Is it a surprise? I do like surprises, unless it's socks. If it is I'd rather pass."

They led him through a door and into a room with a chair bolted into the floor near the center. A device that resembled a large laser rested near the far wall, pointing directly at the chair.

"Is that an Electronic Field Emitter?" John asked as the Roboforms drug him to the chair and began strapping him in.

"Yes, but I have my own name for it," Rasula said walking over to the emitter.

"What's that then?"

"I call it persuasion."

"Ah, that's nice. I like persuasion. Could I persuade you to get me a banana shake? I never did find the kitchen and it has been a few hours since the last time I ate."

The Roboforms finished strapping his head in place then took positions near the Electronic Field Emitter. He'd seen her use one on a prisoner the first time he came across her. He knew as soon as she flipped the switch it would emit an electronic wave that would affect the signals to every nerve in his body.

"Tell me about the TARDIS," she demanded.

"The what?" he asked.

She flipped the switch on the emitter. A beam of light engulfed him. Every nerve in his body flared to life with searing pain. He cried out, feeling like he was burning from the inside out. Then she turned it off.

He let out a breath. Knowing what the emitter could do and experiencing it were two different things. Rose's face floated to the surface of his mind. He knew if Rasula got her hands on the TARDIS Rose wouldn't be safe. No one would be safe.

"Ready to talk?" Rasula asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Good."

"About my banana shake. Could I get some chocolate syrup on top?"

Rasula turned the emitter back on. As his nerves flared back to life John held on to Rose's image. He wasn't sure how much of this his human body could take before it gave out, but he would rather die than let her have control of the most dangerous weapon in the universe. Even if that meant he'd never see Rose again.


	16. Crash Landing

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

Rose gazed around the new control room as the Doctor flipped levers and turned dials on the console. The room had changed along with the Time Lord. She remembered the Doctor, the old Doctor, telling her how the TARDIS changed with each regeneration. How it was a reflection of who he was.

The room was darker than it had been and there was a feeling about it…loneliness. He'd always been lonely. That's one of the reason she went with him the first time. He did so much, saved so many people, and he did it all alone because his entire planet was gone along with all of his people. It wasn't far. It wasn't right. So, she went with him because then he'd have her and she could take care of him.

He was _her Doctor, _but he was different. There was more sadness in his eyes and loneliness. Her heart went out to him. How many people had he lost? How long had he been on his own? She wanted to ask. Find out what happened, but she wasn't sure if she should. She glanced at him and noticed he was watching her with that sad smile, as if he was afraid of being happy.

"Found anything?" she asked, bouncing over to the console to stand next to him, like she used to do.

"No…uh…not yet, I'm afraid," he said, turning his attention back to the console.

"She knew you. Called you the Doctor and knew about the TARDIS."

"I ran into her once or twice, might have been three times actually."

"I think it was a bit more than just running into her, yeah?"

"A bit. Yes."

When he didn't continue she folded her arms and looked at him expectantly.

"Technically, I killed her." He killed her? That didn't sound like the Doctor, at least not the Doctor she knew. "I wasn't actually trying to kill her. I was trying to keep her from getting the TARDIS, which is what she wanted. She lured me to her ship with a phony distress signal, which wasn't actually phony because she had set her ship to self-destruct."

"How did she escape?"

"With a vortex manipulator."

She knew vortex manipulator's could move someone through space and time because Jack had one, but they couldn't hop through parallel universes, could they?

"If she's from the other universe how did she get here?"

"I don't know." He rubbed his face with his hands in frustration. "The thing is I don't know where to look for her."

"What'd you mean?"

"If she was in her own universe. My universe. Then I would know where to look, but she's not. She's here."

"Why should that make a difference?"

"Because she doesn't know anyone here. Or didn't when she got here."

What did being in a different universe have to do with that? They'd crashed in this universe and she didn't know anyone, but as soon as she saw that virtual poster of her dad she went looking for him.

"Seems to me she'd go where she was familiar, yeah?"

"What?" He looked at her like he didn't understand what she meant.

"You know, like I did when we crashed here. I didn't know anyone here either, but then I saw my dad and, well, you know the rest."

* * *

The Doctor was stunned. She was right. How could he be so stupid? Of course she would seek out what was familiar. That's what people did when they were in unfamiliar territory. They sought out what was familiar.

"Rose Tyler you're brilliant!" he exclaimed, lifting her face and kissing her forehead.

He realized what he'd done a moment later and gave her a glance as he started triangulating the coordinates of Vestros. Rose was smiling at him, like she used to. He was afraid he might've made her feel uncomfortable when he kissed her forehead because he knew she was still getting used to his new appearance, but she seemed to have taken it well. He turned his attention back to the console.

She always knew the right thing to say. That's one of the reasons he loved her. He'd be stuck with a problem and she'd say something and just like that he'd figure it out.

"Vestros?" she asked, looking at the screen.

"Rasula's home planet.

"Do you think she'll be there?"

"Not sure, but it's as good a starting place as any."

The TARDIS pitched sideways sending them both to the floor. The Doctor landed on his back. _What happened?_ The piercing cry of an alarm filled the room.

"Rose!" he yelled. "Are you all right?"

He looked around. She was lying on her side, facing away from him. She rolled over and his stomach unclenched. She looked okay.

"Yeah," she replied. "I think so."

The TARDIS pitched the other way as the Doctor crawled toward the console.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied, pulling himself up.

This was bad. Definitely, completely not good. He looked at the readings. _No!_ It was worse than not good. The console sparked. Something knocked out the navigation and they were now hurtling through time. What could've done that? He looked at the readings. _A radiation pulse from the planet? _How could that happen?

"What happened?" Rose asked, pulling herself up next to him.

"We've lost the navigation system."

He pulled levers and turned dials with his free hand while he held onto the console with his other as the TARDIS pitched from side to side. They could end up anywhere and anytime.

"Can you fix it?"

"Not in time."

"Not in time for what?"

"Not in time to keep us from crashing."

"Crashing?" she asked, in alarm.


	17. Bad Things

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

Rose opened her eyes. She was lying on the floor. The console and lights sparked at different intervals. She tried to move and realized that something heavy was lying on her chest. Had something broke off the TARDIS and landed on her? Then it moved.

"Are you all right?" the Doctor asked.

He was the something heavy laying on her, but he pulled himself up enough for her to look into his eyes.

"I think so, yeah," she said, "You can get off me now."

His eyes widened as he realized where he was. He sat up abruptly. "Uh…sorry, didn't mean to… It was an accident. Completely an accident."

He sounded flustered, which made her laugh. "I'm sure it was," she said, teasingly.

"You don't think that I-I… I mean, I wouldn't…" he stammered.

"Shut up," she said, giving him a playful shove. "I was only joking, yeah?"

"Oh, right, joking." He stood up.

"Now, give me a hand."

As he helped her up she noticed the red braces under his burgundy jacket.

"Are you wearing braces?" she asked, giving one a snap.

"Oi, that hurts," he yelled, rubbing his chest. "I'll have you know braces are cool."

"Yeah, you're right," she said, feigning seriousness.

"Really?"

"No, they're not," she said, shaking her head and then laughing.

"Well, I like them."

He walked over to the console and began fiddling with the levers and dials. She watched him for a minute. He was more serious than he used to be and didn't laugh as easily. She wondered again what had happened to him.

He needed someone as much as he had the first time she met him in the basement of that department store. She joined him at the console and touched the sleeve of his coat, like she used to. He gave her a sideways glance, as if he wasn't sure what she was doing. She gave him a smile and waited until he returned it. She knew he needed her even if he didn't realize it yet.

* * *

When she touched the sleeve of his coat like she used to he felt a stab in both of his hearts because it reminded him of the man he used to be. A man who could joke and laugh with her, but he wasn't that man anymore. Losing her had changed him. Then she gave him that smile, the one she reserved only for him and both of his hearts melted.

"Where are we?" she asked, looking at the monitor.

He tore his eyes from her and turned his attention to the readings. "Six thousand years in your future. We've landed on planet Odell."

"Six thousand?"

"Six thousand twenty-one, to be precise."

He pulled his hand away as the console sparked.

"Can you get us back?"

"Not at the moment. No. She's going to need some time."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Rose asked, taking his hand and running toward the doors.

"No," he insisted, pulling her to a stop. "We're staying in."

"Ah, come on. If we're stuck here anyway I'd rather see what's out there."

"No," he said, turning his head away before she could give him the look he knew was coming. "I have no idea what's out there."

"Please?" she begged, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He couldn't help it. He looked. _Blast! _Her hazel eyes gazed at him pleadingly. His mind told him no, but both of his hearts shouted, _give her whatever she wants._ It was two against one.

"All right," he sighed. "But just for a few minutes and you can't leave my sight."

She squealed with delight as she released his hand and bounded to the door. He glanced back at the sparking console before following her outside.

He stepped out the door and onto a road that looked more Victorian Earth than 27th century alien planet. Could the TARDIS have been wrong? _No, she's never wrong. _But then, she had been hit by a radiation pulse.

"I thought you said this was a different planet?" Rose asked.

"It is," he said looking around at the buildings and people.

"But it looks like Earth."

"Obviously, it's been recolonized."

"Still, shouldn't it look more…I don't know…futuristic."

"Futuristic?"

"Shut up. You know what I mean." Before he could answer she took his hand and led him down the street. "Come on. Let's have a look around."

* * *

The minute she grabbed his hand and started leading him down the street it no longer mattered that he was different because they were on an alien planet together. Rose Tyler and the Doctor, as it should be.

Brick shops lined the street. She passed a horse and carriage waiting for occupants. She remembered when the Doctor took her back to the real Victorian era. She'd been kidnapped by a mortician and almost killed by the Gelth.

A rotten egg smell cut through the air. Rose plugged her nose. "What's that smell?"

"I don't know. Smells like," he sniffed the air, "sulfur, maybe?"

"A flower for the pretty lady," a girl said.

Rose looked down and noticed a young girl holding a basket of daisies in one hand and a single flower in the other.

"Thank you," she said, accepting the daisy.

The girl looked to be around eight or nine years old with long, brown hair. She smiled down at the little girl who gave her a shy smile in return.

"Hello," the Doctor said, reaching into his coat pocket. "How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing, sir," the girl replied.

"Well, that's awfully nice of you," he said, smiling broadly. He bent down so he was eye level with her. "My name's the Doctor and this is my friend, Rose. What's yours?"

Rose bent down next to them. "Hello."

The Doctor spoke to her tenderly, as if he was speaking to his own child. She remembered when he told her that he used to have children. She wondered if he was thinking of them at that moment and missing them. Her heart went out to him.

"Penelope," the girl said, shyly.

"Penelope? That's a great name! A brilliant name!"

"Thank you."

"I'll tell you what. Since you've been so nice to my friend," he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a folded handkerchief, "I've got something here that I think you'll like."

He unfolded the handkerchief to reveal a small, white crystal.

"It's beautiful," the girl said, her eyes widening in awe. "What is it?"

"It's an ice crystal."

He picked it up and set it in her little hand.

"It's cold."

"A little, yes, but not too bad." He put the handkerchief back in his pocket. "That's not just any old ice crystal though."

"It's not?"

"That's a singing ice crystal from the caves of Nazatar. Close your hand into a fist, like this." He demonstrated and she followed suit. "Now hold it up to your ear."

She did and a moment later her eyes lit up as a broad smile spread across her face. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, almost hitting him with her flower basket in the process.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Penelope," he beamed.

He started to stand up, but Penelope grabbed his hand.

"You shouldn't stay here," the girl said.

"Why not?" Rose asked.

"There are," Penelope looked around, as if she was afraid someone was listening, "bad things going on."

"What sort of bad things?" the Doctor asked.

"Is she bothering you, sir?" a man in a constable uniform asked.

"Not at all. We were just talking," the Doctor said, standing up.

The constable didn't look very friendly. Rose thought he seemed worried as he gazed from the Doctor to Penelope. Had he heard what she told them?

"Well, the little one has work to do, don't cha'?"

Penelope nodded with a frightened look in her eyes.

"I wouldn't want to get her in trouble. Go ahead, Penelope, I'm sure we'll see you later," the Doctor said, giving the girl a reassuring smile.

"Who are you then?" the constable inquired, pulling out a handheld device similar to an iPad.

"I have it…"The Doctor reached into his inside pocket and pulled out his psychic paper. "…right here." He showed it to the constable.

"Doctor and Rose Tyler," the constable read. "Contest winners." He said the last bit as if he didn't approve. "Follow me."

They followed him down the street.

"Contest winners?" Rose asked.

"I guess so," the Doctor shrugged, returning the psychic paper to his inside pocket.

"I thought we were only going to stay for a few minutes."

"Well, we could stay a bit longer. The TARDIS needs some time anyway."

"Admit it."

"Admit what?"

"You're curious, yeah?"

"Curious about what?"

"About what the little girl said."

"Not at all."

"So you're not worried about her at all?"

"Why would you think I was worried?"

"Oh, I don't know. Little girl talking about bad things," she said as she slipped her hand into his. He gave her a nervous, sideways glance. She ignored his look and scrunched up next to him as they walked. "Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure that's got Doctor written all over it, yeah?"

She knew they were staying the moment Penelope told them bad things were going on. If there's one thing she knew about the Doctor that not even regenerating would change – when people were in danger the Doctor never walked away.


	18. Chamber Two

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

Rasula stormed down the corridor. She should have the information by now, but Mr. Smith was proving to be stronger than she thought. She'd broken others within a few hours, but even as his body weakened his resolve held firm. His jokes only made her angrier and she had to stop herself from killing him because she knew he was her best chance of gaining control of the TARDIS and she would have it no matter what.

She wished she'd brought the blonde girl along. If she had she'd have what she wanted by now. The anger in his eyes when he thought the girl was on the ship told her that much. She thought about lying to him, but only for a second because she knew he'd want to see the girl.

The door slid open as she entered Chamber Two. Vek, the Kahler scientist was busy working on the machine. She admired the sleek device bolted to joints that hung down from the ceiling as she crossed the room.

"How much longer until its ready?" she asked.

Vek glanced up from the wiring. He looked at her nervously. "The Extractor will be ready tonight."

"Good." She ran her hand along the metal surface. "And you're sure it'll do what I need?"

"Yes…" he hesitated, as if he wanted to say something more.

She knew he'd been fighting with his morality ever since she set him to the task. Kahler's were peaceful. They could fight when provoked, but they were always thinking about the moral implications. It was all very annoying.

"What is it?" she demanded, impatiently.

"You do understand the damage this will do…if you use it."

She rolled her eyes reminding herself that she needed him. He was the only one who could give her what she wanted. When he was finished she could kill him, but at that moment she needed him.

"You've already made that perfectly clear, Vek."

"The mind can only withstand so much-"

"I'm willing to take that chance," she snapped, cutting him off.

"I just want to be clear on that."

He seemed to have forgotten why he was there in the first place. Behaving as if he had a say in what she did. She decided to remind him of his position.

"You should be more worried about what will happen to your daughter if it doesn't work."

She watched his eyes widen. When faced with a choice between his daughter and a stranger she knew he'd choose his daughter. That's why she chose him.

"Y-yes…um…sorry," he stammered, returning his attention to the machine.

She was well aware of the damage the machine would inflict, but she didn't see it as a bad thing. If Mr. Smith survived she would gain two assets.

Her wrist communicator crackled to life.

"Commander?" Lerson asked.

She held down the button.

"Yes?" she inquired.

"We've come into orbit."

They had come into orbit around Vestros, her home planet. Although, this Vestros wasn't actually her home planet. She'd been born on a parallel Vestros.

"Hold our position."

When she first found herself in this parallel dimension she tried to find a way back, but during her years of searching she built herself a profitable enterprise. She was making far more money as Commander Rasula than she'd ever made as the Inquisitor.

She still longed to have the one thing that slipped through her fingers…the TARDIS. With it she'd not only become wealthy, she would become powerful. No one would dare stand in her way. The entire universe would be in her hands.

She knew she'd have to get rid of the Doctor. She couldn't give him a chance to take it back. She couldn't simply kill a Time Lord because they could regenerate, but Mr. Smith was half-Time Lord so perhaps he had knowledge of their weaknesses.

She decided to wait until tomorrow to use the Extractor on him. He'd have a better chance at surviving if he was stronger. She still had to lure the Doctor back and by that time Mr. Smith would be cooperative.


	19. Isolated Incident

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

The constable led Rose and the Doctor through the doors of a beautiful hotel. The lobby was decorated with large marble pillars that matched the floor. A wide staircase led up to the second floor.

A pleasant looking man with a bald head and white beard stood behind the counter wearing a black suit. He looked up as the constable led them to the counter.

"I found two of your guests wondering around the city," the constable said.

"Hello," the Doctor greeted, giving his hand to Mr. Weaver.

"Hello," Mr. Weaver replied, shaking the Doctor's hand. "I'm the manager. What can I do for you?"

"Seems we've won a contest." The Doctor pulled his psychic paper out and handed it to Mr. Weaver.

"Ah, you're part of the couple's retreat special."

"Yes," the Doctor began and then froze. "The what now?"

Rose couldn't help laughing at the look on his face.

"Couple's retreat special," the manager repeated, then glanced at the paper again. "Doctor Tyler."

"I'm not…we're not…" the Doctor stammered.

He was about to blow their cover so Rose did the only thing she could. She laced her arm through his. "Sorry about that he gets a little confused when he hasn't eaten in a while. Low blood sugar, yeah?" She smiled at the Doctor. "Isn't that right, luv?"

"Luv?" he gaped with shock clearly visible in his wide eyes.

"The other couples should be arriving soon, but I can have something sent up to your room."

"That would be brilliant," Rose said.

A few minutes later she led the Doctor up the stairs as he shot her nervous sideways glances every couple seconds. As soon as they were out of sight she released his arm and gave him a good slap on the shoulder.

"Oi, what was that for?" he asked.

"I don't remember you being this thick," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"Couple's retreat."

"So?"

"So, obviously we'd have to be a couple," she said pointing from herself to him. He stared at her blankly. She rolled her eyes. "According to your psychic paper we're probably married."

"No," he gasped, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the paper so he could read it. His eyes widened, which made her start laughing.

"What?" he asked, making her laugh harder.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Oh, come on," she said, lacing her arm through his to lead him up the stairs. Then on second thought she met his gaze. "Luv." Then broke out laughing again when his eyes narrowed in confusion.

Rose sat on the end of the king sized bed and then flopped back. It was the softest bed she'd ever laid on. "Do you think it's stuffed with feathers?" she asked.

"Feathers?" the Doctor asked, distractedly.

She propped herself up on her elbows and noticed he was pacing the room.

"The bed," she said. "Do you think it's a feather bed?"

"I don't know. Maybe." He gave the bed a sideways glance.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm pacing, what's it look like?"

"Why?"

"Because we have to wait for the rest of the group, that we're not really a part of, to get here and I'd rather be trying to find out what's going on."

"So, you're board, yeah?"

He was a lot more impatient than he used to be. He'd always liked to be doing something, but he could sit still with her. She decided to remind him of that. She hopped up, grabbed his hand and pulled him down on the bed next to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving you something to do," she said, giving him a smile.

"What?" he exclaimed, sitting up, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back down as she laughed, realizing what he thought she was implying.

"Not like that," she said, giving him a playful shove. "I thought we could talk."

"Talk?" he asked, as if that was the worst idea he ever heard.

She rolled onto her side, propping herself up with her elbow. He looked around like a cornered rabbit making her laugh again.

"Is talking to me really that bad?"

"Well, no. I…I don't know," he rubbed his forehead with his hand in frustration. "I don't really _talk_."

"You used to."

"Yes…well…I was a different person then."

"But I'm not," she said.

He had changed so much. Maybe too much. He was so closed off, as if he didn't want to let anyone in. She didn't know how to get through to him.

_Her Doctor _was still in there. She'd seen him a few times, but only for a moment and then he was buried, as if the Doctor was too afraid to let him out.

He propped himself up, facing her. "I know, Rose, and I'm sorry."

"What happened to you?" she asked before she could stop herself. She didn't _want_ to know. She _needed_ to know. What made him change so much?

* * *

He'd been trying to keep his distance from her. He was barely holding back the dam of emotions inside of him and every time she touched him it became harder. She distracted him to the point of losing all sense of reason. The shock of hearing the manager call them a couple and then hearing her call him luv sent all of his thoughts right out of his head.

As he lay there next to her his hearts cried out to hold her. Stroke her hair. To be there with her, but he couldn't. He knew he wasn't the man she needed. The man she'd crossed universes to find. He was still there, inside of him. The one controlling his hearts, but he couldn't let him out. He knew if he did he'd never be able to let her go and he had to. Even if she didn't have John he wouldn't be able to take her with him because he would get her killed. To protect her he would have to let her go.

_Eventually, _his hearts said. _Eventually you'll have to let her go, but right now, this moment, she's here. _He opened his mouth to tell her. Tell her about everything. About what walking away from her did to him. About the cracks and restarting the universe. About his best friend and that he was the reason her baby was taken from her to be used as a weapon to destroy him because that's all he did was destroy people, at least the ones who weren't killed because of him. Then about losing his best friend and her husband because he couldn't save them. And even about River. Would she forgive him? He loved River, but none of them, not even River, had been Rose.

A scream brought them both to their feet. The Doctor pulled out his sonic and rushed out the door. He could hear Rose close behind him as he ran down the hall and through an open door at the end.

The room was almost an exact replica of theirs. An open suitcase sat on the bed and there was a smaller bag on the dresser, but other than that the room was empty. He'd heard a woman scream. He was sure it came from this room.

"Where is she?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied, pushing the button on his sonic and sweeping his arm around the room.

It emitted the familiar high-pitched warble. Then he flicked it closed and looked at the readings. There was trace energy from a recent teleport.

"What's it say?" Rose asked.

"It looks like she was teleported somewhere," the Doctor replied, trying to use his sonic to lock onto the teleport so he could reverse it.

"You can reverse it, yeah? Like you did with that Slitheen?"

"That's what I'm trying to do, but I can't get a lock on the signal. I think it's being blocked."

"What's going on?" Mr. Weaver asked, entering the room.

"We heard a woman scream and we came in to make sure she was okay," Rose said.

"A woman?" Mr. Weaver asked, looking around the empty room.

"She was teleported," the Doctor said.

"Teleported?"

"Yes, but I can't get a lock on her signal," the Doctor said.

"But we don't have any teleports in the hotel," Mr. Weaver said in alarm. "You must be mistaken."

"No, she was definitely teleported."

There was something about Mr. Weaver that seemed a bit…off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something.

"One of your guests was just taken. Aren't you going to do something?" Rose asked.

"Y-yes, of course. I'll notify the authorities," Mr. Weaver said, striding toward the door, then stopped and turned back to them. "I'm sure it was an isolated incident. No need to upset the other guests is there?"

_Isolated incident? _A woman had just been snatched out of her room and he was worried about upsetting the other guests? He was either callous or he knew more than he was saying.

"Of course," the Doctor said, ignoring the quizzical look Rose gave him.

"What do you mean, _of course_?" Rose asked after the manager was out of earshot. "Aren't you going to do anything?"

"I think Mr. Weaver is hiding something, but if he thinks we're going to cause trouble he might decide to keep an eye on us and that would make it much harder to check the rest of the hotel."

"Check it for what?"

"Teleportation equipment or anything else out of the ordinary."

"Good thinking."

"I am rather good at it," the Doctor said, straightening his suit.


	20. A Way Out

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

John sat on the floor, leaning against the wall of his cell, which was really an empty storage room, but seemed more like a cell. He wasn't in pain, well, not severe pain. His muscles felt weak and achy, as if he'd run a marathon.

Every time he'd been about to let something slip he thought about Rose and suddenly he'd have the strength to go on. She kept him fighting. She'd always kept him fighting.

He remembered when a Carrionite found her name and tried to use it against him to weaken him, but that was a mistake because Rose didn't weaken him. She made him stronger. She was his other half.

He wished he'd been able to tell her what she met to him. He'd told her he loved her once, on the beach, all those years ago, but there was more to it than that. He wasn't just in love with her. Rose Tyler was, and always would be, the _one_. The one person in all of existence who lived at the heart of his soul as if she'd been imprinted there.

His eyes misted over at the thought that he'd never see her again. He told himself that it was better that way because at least she'd be safe. He didn't care what Rasula did to him as long as he knew that Rose was okay.

The door slid open, interrupting his thoughts. He stood up, slowly, ignoring the ach in his muscles as Rasula stepped into the room.

"Dinner time already?" he asked, wincing as his thigh began to throb. "If you're taking orders I'll have fish and chips."

"Quite the challenge, aren't you, Mr. Smith?" she sneered.

"What can I say? Guess I'm a complicated man."

"Things would be a lot easier for you if you'd just cooperate," she said, stepped closer to him.

"I could cooperate, sure, but where's the fun in that?" he asked, holding her gaze.

"Indeed."

"Are we going for a walk then?"

They both knew she was going to torture him again. He didn't look forward to it, but having to visit with her beforehand was its own torture.

"Not tonight."

_Not tonight? _Was she worried that he wouldn't make it? Maybe a little because she knew if he died he'd take the secrets of the TARDIS with him. Not, of course, because she cared whether he lived or died.

"Giving up already? And I thought we were getting along so well."

"Oh, I never give up, Mr. Smith. I always get what I want in the end," she said, trailing her finger down the collar of his jacket.

"Then I'm afraid you're going to be sorely disappointed because it doesn't matter how many times you drag me into Chamber One I'm not going to talk."

"I realized that, which is why I decided to change tactics."

_What? _What was she saying? What did she mean by changing tactics?

"Change what?"

"I have someone working on a device that will give me what I want. Pluck it right out of your pretty little head," she said, tapping the side of his temple.

"What do you mean?"

"A machine, Mr. Smith. A wonderful, ingenious machine. It's called an Extractor."

_What? But that's… _She was talking about memory extraction. No one had the technology to do that yet. Not in the 21st century.

"That's not possible."

"Oh, but it is, at least, it is now. I'm sure you've heard of the Kahler. Resourceful race, don't you think? They really are rather good at building…well, anything. All I had to do was tell him what I wanted the machine to do and he took it from there. If it works I may actually give him back his daughter."

John's eyes widened in fear. The Kahler were known for their technological expertise. He knew the Kahler would be able to do it and he couldn't blame him. What choice did he have when Rasula was holding his daughter?

John swallowed as he realized what that device would do to him. She would get her information and he would lose…everything.

"You can't," he insisted.

"Don't worry, Mr. Smith. There's a seventy percent chance you'll survive. Sleep well," she said, turning around and walking out the door.

He slumped to the floor. There had to be some way for him to escape. He was locked in a small room without any windows, on a space ship. There had to be a way out. There was always a way out.

Then he realized that there was a way out. Not a way to escape, but a way out. It had always been there. He just didn't see it before because as impossible as the situation was he had hope. That somehow the Doctor would find him. Somehow he would see her again, but that wasn't going to happen. A tear slid down his cheek. He would never see her again. _My Rose. _


	21. Something Strange

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

* * *

After checking the laundry room Rose followed the Doctor into a dimly lit room filled with pipes.

"Cheery in here, yeah?" she asked, nervously.

She couldn't help thinking about what might be hiding in the shadowy corners. Instinctively she took the Doctor's hand as they made their way through the room. He gave her one of the sideways glances she was getting used to.

The room was quiet except for the faint drip of water from one of the pipes. As they crept through the room she looked over her shoulder every once in a while to make sure nothing was sneaking up on them.

"Nothing here," the Doctor said as they came up to the back wall.

They turned around and began the walk back.

"We've checked most of the rooms. At least, the ones that aren't being used."

"I'd like to get a look at the manager's office. I have a feeling that he's hiding something."

"That's easier said than done."

The Doctor opened the door that led to the hall and they came face to face with Mr. Weaver.

"What are you two doing back here?" he asked.

"Um…we were," Rose stammered.

"Looking for the dining room," the Doctor said. "Got a little turned around."

"The dining room is this way," Mr. Weaver said, turning around and walking back down the hall.

Releasing the Doctor's hand, Rose followed them down the hall, across the lobby, and through another door.

"The rest of your group has arrived," the manager said, leading them to a long table where five couples sat, eating dinner. Three of them appeared to be human. One couple was very short with red skin and what appeared to be spikes sticking out of their heads. The other looked like big fish with some kind of green liquid in tubes attached to their faces.

She tried not to stare as she took a seat next to the Doctor between two of the human couples.

"Hello, I'm the-"

"Rose and Doctor Tyler," Rose said, interrupting the Doctor before he had a chance to blow their cover, again. "Hello."

The other couples greeted them, but she couldn't understand what the fish-people said. They sounded like they were talking through a straw in a glass of water.

A waiter arrived a few minutes later with their dinner. Her stomach gave an audible growl as she picked up her fork and began devouring the shepherd's pie. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until that minute.

She took a bit. Oh, it was brilliant! The best shepherd's pie she'd ever had. _Sorry mum._

"What is this?" the Doctor asked.

Rose looked over at him and watched as he picked up his plate and sniffed it.

"Shepherd's pie," she said.

"Shepherd's what?" He examined it. "Did you say pie? This doesn't look anything like a pie."

"It's good."

"Nope, I can't possible eat that," he insisted, setting the plate down.

"Just try it."

"But it's got a crusty thing on top and there's all sorts of things mashed together underneath."

She sighed. He'd always acted like a big kid, but this was ridiculous. She stabbed a bit with her fork and lifted it to his mouth, but he folded his arms stubbornly.

"It's good. Trust me," she said.

He eyed her warily, but finally opened his mouth. He took a few cautious chews then smiled.

"That's not half bad," he said, picking up his fork to dive into his plate.

She laughed. Then turned back to her own dinner.

"How long have you two been married?" the woman on her right asked. She'd introduced herself as Judy Summers earlier.

"Oh…um…not very long actually," Rose replied, taken back by the question.

She glanced at the Doctor. He was frozen, with a bite of shepherd's pie halfway to his mouth.

"Really? I would've guessed you two had been together for a few years at least."

"Why's that?"

"Just…the way you two interact."

"We've known each other for a few years."

"Ah, that must be it then," Judy said with a knowing smile. "You don't meet many couples these days who wait that long. Seems a lot of them get married and divorced and then married to someone else in the same year."

"Yeah," Rose said.

"So, you're a doctor?" Judy asked.

"Yes," the Doctor said, setting his fork down.

"Did you two meet at work?"

"Well, kind of," Rose said, not sure what to say. She was at the store where she worked only she'd been off at the time and, technically, the Doctor was working because he was trying to stop the Autons, which was what all of the store mannequins had been turned into, but it wasn't really a story she could share. Who would believe it? "We met in the basement of the department store I used to work at."

"The basement? That's an odd place to meet."

"Well I was…um…looking for someone and then these…um…these store mannequins they…uh…"

"Malfunctioned," the Doctor said, taking her hand under the table. "Went absolutely berserk."

"Oh, that's awful," Judy exclaimed. "What happened?"

"They had me cornered against the wall and then the-"

"I grabbed her hand and said _run_," the Doctor said, catching Rose's gaze. He smiled. "And we ran. Didn't we run, Rose?"

"Yeah, we did," Rose said, returning his smile.

* * *

After dinner they returned to their room to wait until the hotel quieted down before they checked the manager's office. She felt like they should be doing something more. That woman was taken hours ago and they had no idea who took her, where she was, or what might be happening to her.

She knew they couldn't just go barging into the manager's office though. There were too many people around and if he got suspicious they'd probably find themselves out the front door.

She watched the doctor flop down in the chair, a faraway look in his eyes. She knew waiting around drove him mad and she didn't want to sit around while he paced the room again. It would be a few hours before they could get started so she decided to catch a little sleep while she could. She unzipped her jacket and tossed it on the dresser then sat down on the bed to take her shoes off.

"What are you doing?" the Doctor asked, in alarm.

"We won't be able to sneak out until the hotel quiets down, yeah?" she asked, glancing at him over her shoulder.

"Yes."

"Well, I'm going to get a little sleep while I can."

"You're not going to get all…" He gestured nervously with his hands. "…undressed, are you?"

She laughed. "Shut up." She rolled her eyes. "Do you really think I would do that?"

"No…well…no."

* * *

The Doctor watched her climb under the covers. He couldn't believe he actually said that. _What are you thinking? _Rose wasn't like that. They'd… No, he pushed the memories away before they had a chance to solidify. He couldn't think about the past with her. Not that part anyway. It was too hard, especially when she was so close. Close enough to touch. _Damn! _

_Think about something else. Anything else! _But he couldn't because his eyes kept wondering back to her form under the blanket. Her arm rested on her side over-top the blankets. She'd removed her coat. Underneath she was wearing a pink tank top. Probably one from her wardrobe in the TARDIS. The sight of her fair skin reminded him of how soft it was.

_Stop! Stop it! _He tore his eyes from her because he knew if he didn't he'd be moving across the room in the next minute with no way of stopping himself. _She's with John. She's moved on. _Just like he wanted her to. She was happy. With someone she should be with not someone who destroyed everything he touched.

There was one room he wasn't able to check earlier. He knew he should wait until the hotel quieted down for the night like they planned, but it was too dangerous for him to be alone with his thoughts in a room with her. They took him to places he might not be able to come back from.

A few minutes later her breathing became steady and he took the opportunity to sneak out of the room. He closed the door behind him and flinched as the handle clicked softly into place. Then he made his way through the hall and down the stairs.

The manager was nowhere in sight. Hopefully he was still in the dining hall with the other guests. The Doctor crept across the lobby, keeping close to the pillars for cover. A young woman stood behind the counter. No one else seemed to be around. If he could distract her then he could make his way around the counter to the manager's office.

He looked around for something to use. The lobby was clean, everything put in its proper place, which meant that there wasn't anything nearby for him to use. He dug around in his pockets hoping he had something, anything. _Ha! _He pulled out a large, rubber, bouncy ball. He wasn't sure where he got it from, but he sure was glad he had it. He gave it a kiss for good measure then tossed it toward the closed doors.

It hit the floor, bounced, hit a window, but not hard enough to break it, bounced, hit the floor again. He glanced at the front desk. The woman ran across the room, trying to catch the ball. While she was preoccupied he ran to the other side of the desk and down the short hallway behind it.

He came to the door marked _manager's office _and opened it using his sonic. Then he dashed inside and closed the door behind. He flipped the light switch on.

He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but there was something strange going on. People being teleported and others disappearing. He walked over to the desk and began rifling through the drawers.

Paperwork, lots of paperwork, but nothing that pointed to something strange. He looked around the room. There was something he was missing. Something right… _Aha! _Where was the computer? On the outside everything might be Victorian, but this was a tourist spot. There's no way they would keep records by hand. The constable had a hand device so there had to be a computer in here, but where was it?

He glanced around again. _No. Nothing. _He took out his sonic and started pointing it at different sections of the wall. He found it a few seconds later at the back of the room. The wall slid away to reveal a hidden room with a computer and monitors set up with security feed. He used his sonic to search the database.

There were inventory records, bookings, guest lists, and _Wait. What? _There were background checks on some of the guests. Where they worked. Financial statements. Family history. Far more information than necessary for a vacation package.

Why would they need to know all that? There was definitely something strange going on. Then he came across something even stranger. Mining tunnel plans. Why would the manager have mining tunnel plans on the hotel computer?

He sat down and began typing. The woman who was teleported was staying in room 227. He brought up the recent guest list. Heather Marshall, room 227. He cross referenced her name with the background information. Heather Marshall, CEO Galaxy Tide Tourism. Her company booked tours and vacations for millions of clients from all over. She was worth a lot, but something told him this wasn't about money. He searched further. She had no immediate family.

He pulled up the other background checks, one at a time, noting the room numbers and scanning the rest of the information. Jobs, capital, family status. It all varied. The only thing they had in common was that they were all human. There had to be something to that, but he wasn't sure what. _What was so important about them being human? _

He went back to the mining plans. Did that have anything to do with the disappearances? Maybe, maybe not, but he always said _never ignore a coincidence. _And finding two strange things that might not look related didn't mean they weren't.

He stood up to head back to the room to get Rose when the door opened.


	22. Gone

The Doctor spun around as the door opened, stuffing his sonic screwdriver in his pocket. The front desk woman walked in the room.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Towels," the Doctor said, saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Towels?" she asked.

"Yes, I was looking for towels."

"This is the manager's office."

"I stopped by the front desk, but there wasn't anyone around so I thought I would check with him."

"I can send some towels up to your room if you like."

"Yes, that would be great. Thank you."

The Doctor followed her out the door and headed back to his room trying to work out what a mine had to do with people disappearing. Once he reached the top of the stairs he decided to check a few of the rooms on the list.

He pulled out his sonic to unlock the door, then on second thought, figured he better knock first. He didn't want to walk in on…Well, it was better to knock. He waited.

How long did it take to answer the door?

A couple seconds?

That had to be long enough.

He unlocked the door and turned the handle. "Hello," he called stepping into the room. It appeared to be empty, not even a suitcase. He checked the closet. Empty. He checked the bathroom, glad the door was open. Empty too. There were supposed to be two people in the room.

He checked the room with his sonic. Nothing. But if they were teleported an hour ago or more then it might be too late to get any readings. He walked back into the hall and checked another room.

He was a bit luckier this time. There was still trace energy from a teleport, but it was fading. Time to get Rose. He headed back into the hall toward their room. He didn't want to get her hurt, but he couldn't leave her there. Not when they were snatching people out of their rooms. The sooner he got her out of this hotel the better he'd feel.

He heard her yell before he got the door open. _No! _He barged into the room, yelling, "Rose!"

She opened her eyes and sat up. He sighed in relief. A nightmare. She must've been having a nightmare.

"You left me," she said, her eyes misting over.

He expected her to yell at him for not taking her with him, but he hadn't expected this. His hearts broke. He crossed the room in three strides, sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Its okay, Rose. I'm back." He rocked her gently, trying to work out why she was so upset. That must have been one hell of a nightmare. He pulled back far enough to look into her eyes, resting his hands on her shoulders. "I'm here. See? Right here. Not going anywhere, I promise."

"I-I'm sorry."

He caught the tear as it slid down her cheek, which he realized was a mistake the moment he did it because now all he wanted to do was press his lips against hers so she could forget about her nightmare and he could forget he ever made the mistake of leaving her. It took all of his strength to stop himself. _Oh, why can't I have this one thing? This mad, impulsive girl. My Rose. _But he knew why. He would destroy her, like he destroyed everything he touched.

"You don't have to be sorry. You never have to be sorry."

"It was stupid."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"No," she said, looking away.

He could tell she was holding something back and he wasn't sure if he should press her for it. With everything she'd been through he didn't want to hurt her more, but he knew avoiding an issue wasn't going to help, even if he didn't know what the issue was.

"Rose, you know you can talk to me."

"It was just a stupid dream, yeah?"

"Rose," he said, but she ignored him. He took her chin and gently turned her head so she'd meet his gaze. He didn't know why it was important, just that it was. "Tell me."

"It was just a bad dream. What does it matter?"

"Because it matters to you."

"When you…" She took a deep breath and he could tell she was trying not to cry. His hearts ached. "When you left me after I found you I…I had these…nightmares about it because I…I couldn't understand why…you would do that…just…you know…leave me like that."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. His eyes misted over. "I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so sorry." He knew she'd take it hard, but he never thought she'd be tormented like that. She had John. He thought the half-Time Lord would be there for her. Why the hell hadn't he been there?

"I haven't had them in a while, but I guess. Now that you're here. I just…I'm afraid you're going to leave me again."

He pulled back, gazing into her eyes. "You know I can't stay here, right?"

"I know, but I thought…I mean, I was hoping that maybe I could…"

"You could what?"

"Come with you?"

"But I thought…you and John…" All this time he thought she was with John. They were happy. Together. That's what he'd wanted, right? For Rose to be happy with John. To forget about him. To move on so she could have a real life.

"He's my friend. My best-friend, but yeah, that's all we are. Friends."

"Then you never…?" he asked.

"No, and you, I mean you must have…" she said.

"No, not anymore."

"Not anymore? So, you did-"

"Rose."

"No, I mean, it's good, yeah? I'm glad that you could-"

He reached for her, cradling her face in his hands and bent down, resting his forehead against hers. "Rose," he whispered, pulling away just far enough to gaze into her eyes. "Don't you know that it's you? It's only ever been you. You've had both of my hearts. Always. I walked away because I couldn't be selfish. I couldn't let you risk your life for me because if I lost you…If you died…" he felt a tear slide down his cheek, "It would kill me. I've saved so many people and planets, the entire universe, but you, Rose Tyler, you're the girl who saved _me_."

He wanted to tell her three words. Words he wanted to say that day on the beach a lifetime ago, but he couldn't be selfish. As much as he wanted her to come with him. To stay with him forever as she once promised. He couldn't do that to her. They died. They all died. He couldn't let her die for him.

He started to pull away, but before he could her lips found his. In that moment all the pain and loneliness melted away. Rose was no longer a human girl he was trying to protect and he was no longer a Time Lord who'd lived for over a thousand years. They simply…existed.

He wrapped his arm around her tighter, pulling her close while he ran his other hand through her hair. Three hearts beat as one. He knew he was nearing the point of no return, but he didn't care. All that mattered was the scent of strawberry that hung between them and the softness of her skin.

_Stop! _His mind screamed and he pulled back, breathing hard, suddenly realizing what he'd almost done.

"I-I'm sorry," he said, looking up. He doubted she'd understand, but he didn't want to leave the silence between them. She was gone.

He looked around the room. "Rose?" he called, but no one answered.

He jumped off the bed, pulled out his sonic screwdriver and tested the area where she'd been. _Trance energy from a teleporter. _Whatever happened to those people just happened to Rose.

His jaw clenched as his mouth set into a grim line. He had to find her.

He wasn't sure where she was taken or how he was going to find her, but he would. He ran out the door, across the hall and made it to the bottom of the stairs before the manager appeared.

"Can I help you?" the manager asked.

The Doctor gave him a withering glare. "Where is she?"

"Where is who?"

"Rose was teleported out of our room. Now, tell me where she is."

"I- I don't know -"

He leaned close to the manager's face. "I suggest you drop the pretenses. I know people are being taken and I know about the mine. I just don't know what one has to do with the other, but you're going to tell me."

"I-I can't-"

"You can, and you will, because if I have to tear this bloody planet apart to find her, I will!"

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**I will be taking votes, because it could go either way - John or the Doctor?**


	23. Captive

Rose was sitting on a dirt floor. She knew she'd been teleported because she'd had the same feeling of moving from one place to another that she got when she used the dimension cannon, only without the physical symptoms. Well, there was a bit of disorientation.

She could smell sulfur, stronger than she had in town. She held her hand over her face to keep from coughing.

_Where the hell am I? _She tried to remember what she'd been doing just before it happened. She'd been in their hotel room. In bed. The Doctor was there and he'd been talking to her. Finally opening up. Telling her how he felt and _Oh my God! I snogged him! I just grabbed him and started… _She couldn't believe she'd done that.

She thought he was telling her that he loved her. At least, that's what it sounded like, but he didn't actually say the words, but she thought… Then he pulled away from her. _I'm so stupid! I've ruined it! I've completely ruined it! _He cared about her. Of course he cared about her. That was the Doctor. He cared about everyone, but she took it the wrong way. Probably hearing what she wanted to hear.

A cough echoed into the room, reminding her that she wasn't in the hotel room anymore. _Right then. There'll be time to think about what I've done later. _She stood up and brushed the back of her pants off. She had to figure out where she was and how she was going to get out of there.

As her eyes adjusted to the weak light she realized she was in some kind of a cell, but at the same time, it was completely unlike a cell. The floor was packed dirt and the walls… She walked over and ran her hand over one. Rough rock, like the inside of a cave or a tunnel. The room was small. She counted steps from one side to the next then back to front. Ten by twelve. When she reached the entrance, which wasn't a door, but a large, arched opening, again reminding her of a cave or tunnel, she found that the bars were cold metal, but not like any metal she'd ever felt. She didn't know how they felt different, just that they did. She squinted down the hall, if that was the right word, and could see other cells across from her, but they appeared to be empty. It was hard for her to see very far into them because of the dim lighting.

Another cough came again. It sounded like it was coming from the cell next to hers. Was someone else in there with her?

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hello," a woman's voice called back.

She sounded shaky, like she was really scared. Rose felt bad for her. She must be in the same kind of cell, probably scared out of her wits, which is how Rose would feel if she hadn't traveled with the Doctor for those few years.

She was still scared though, just not as bad as she would've been because he made her different. Stronger.

"My name's Rose. What's yours?"

"A-Adie," the woman said, then laughed.

Rose was worried that she might be losing it. How long had she been there? "Are you all right?"

"No, not really. I mean, I am. I'm not hurt or anything. It's just…introducing yourself while we're both being held prisoner. It's just…strange."

_You get used to it. _That's what traveling with the Doctor was like. Even though she was trapped in a cell, probably underground somewhere, she couldn't help, but smile. She'd missed it more than she thought. And him. How very much she'd missed him. _My Doctor. _Even if he was different and even if his feelings had changed. He could still make her laugh.

"Guess I just wanted to have a name to go with your voice," Rose said. "So, do you know where we are?"

"The mine, I think. You can tell by that smell."

"Sulfur, yeah."

The sulfur smell probably meant it was a coal mine. Had the Doctor told her that? She didn't think so, but somehow she knew. _Maybe I'm losing it. _She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"You can smell it in town sometimes, but it's worse here."

She sounded like she knew the place pretty well. Not the mine, but the town. Were they taking people from the town as well? Not just guests?

"So, you live in town?"

"Yeah," she said, but she sounded a little withdrawn, like maybe she didn't want to talk about it. That was fine because there were more pressing concerns, like figuring out how to get out of there.

"Have you seen anyone?" Rose asked.

She was trying to work out who might have taken them. She might be able to reason with them, depending on who they were. Unless it was Daleks or Cybermen or… She pushed her fears aside. No point in worrying about that until she knew.

"Yes. Two men. They came a while ago and…and…" Adie said, breaking down.

_Men? Human men? _She knew that people were capable of terrible things just as easily as anyone else, but there had to be more to it than that. Maybe they were being controlled by someone else. Maybe it was like the Gelth or The Wire and they'd talked people into helping them. Tricked them into it.

"It's okay, Adie," Rose soothed.

She wished they were in the same cell together so she could somehow make her feel better.

"But it's not. There's only a couple of us left. Me and a man in the cell next to mine and I think another on the other side of him."

"What happened to the others?"

"Those men…they-they took them, one at a time, led them down the tunnel and…and…"

"And what?" Rose asked as her stomach knotted.

"And I could hear them screaming! I-I think they killed them!" She yelled, then broke down again.

"Did you hear anything else?" Rose asked. He voiced betrayed her attempt to cover the fear she felt. It sounded like the Cybermen and _Oh, God, please don't let it be them! _

When Adie didn't answer she tried again, louder, "Adie! Did you hear anything else?"

"L-like what?" Adie asked.

"Machines or drills or anything like that?"

"No, just…"

"What? Just, what?"

"I-I thought…I thought I heard a growl."

"A growl?"

"Yes, just before J-Joe screamed."

Joe must have been one of the people they took. _A growl? _Daleks didn't growl. Cybermen definitely didn't growl. "What kind of a growl?"

"Like an animal."

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**I wanted to say thanks to all my readers you guys are awesome!**

**I'm going to take votes for a couple more days, but I wanted to let everyone know that no matter how it turns out I'll be writing another story where the other guy wins. I mean, that's just fair, right? ;)**


	24. Big Bad Wolf

The Doctor rubbed his forehead with his hand in frustration as he tried to reign in his emotions because all he really wanted to do grab the manager and… _No, can't do that. _As much as he wanted to, he needed Mr. Weaver to find Rose because he couldn't let anything happen to her.

He was also feeling like an idiot. Scratch that. An arse. A complete arse. He had left Rose with John to save her, but all he'd wound up doing was tormenting her because she felt abandoned. And why shouldn't she? He did the one thing he said he would never do. He left her behind. _Not you. Never you. _He promised her and he lied.

He did it to protect her. To keep her safe. It was the same reason he pulled away from her. And oh, how hard that had been. Maybe even harder than walking away from her. _No, not that hard, but close. Definitely a close second. _And now she was gone. Gone and none of that mattered.

It didn't matter that she was safer without him. When he allowed himself to admit what she meant to him he'd lost the ability to let her go. Of course he was too daft to realize it until she was gone. That seemed to be his thing. Letting something slip through his fingers and then realizing too late what it meant. No, it wasn't too late for Rose. It couldn't be.

He turned his withering glare on the man cowering in front of him. He felt sorry for Mr. Weaver, a little, but it was way back, beyond the darkness.

"Tell me what's going on," he demanded in a cold voice.

"I didn't want anything to do with it. You have to believe me," Mr. Weaver whimpered. "I-I didn't have a choice."

The Doctor sighed. Mr. Weaver was terrified. He wasn't sure if the manager was terrified of whoever was responsible for the people being taken or if he was terrified of the Time Lord, but he wouldn't have blamed him because he honestly wasn't sure what he was capable of at that moment. He was having a hard time keeping control of himself.

"Tell me about the people who were taken. Why them?" he tried.

"It was their jobs. They are in positions to bring more people like them here."

"What do you mean, like them?"

"Humans. They have to be human."

"Why?"

"He didn't say. Only that they have to be human."

"He who? Who's behind this?"

"I-I can't-"

"Tell me!"

"He-he's not human."

"What is he?"

_Not human. _That could mean just about anything. There were thousands, tens of thousands of other races.

"He's a monster."

_Monster? _Mr. Weaver had been inching behind his desk. The Doctor didn't realize until it was too late. The manager reached for something under the desktop and then he was gone.

_No! No, no, no, no! _The Doctor pulled out his sonic, pointed it where Mr. Weaver had just been, and held down the button. It emitted the high-pitched warble. Then he flicked it closed and looked at the reading. _Teleported! _He tried to get a lock on the signal, but it was being blocked like the others.

He checked under the desktop and found the button. Maybe it would take him wherever Rose was. Even if it didn't it should get him to Mr. Weaver. He pressed the button.

He stood on a dark street corner. He looked around. The hotel was gone. _Where am I? _Panic seized him as he realized what the impulsiveness of his actions might have done. He could be anywhere. What would happen to Rose if he couldn't get to her? If he was too far away.

He looked at the buildings. _Really _looked. Then he glanced down the street. Same Victorian style buildings and streetlamps. He hadn't teleported that far. He was still in the same city. He let out a breath.

"Pssst," someone hissed to his right.

He wheeled around, squinting into the shadows. A young girl stood in the shadows of the cornerstone. No, not _a _girl. Penelope! What was she doing out this late? He wondered over to her.

"Hello," he greeted.

"You shouldn't be out at night. It's not safe."

Even as panicked as he was about Rose and angry at whoever had taken her he couldn't help a smile. This little girl was warning him about how dangerous it was?

"You shouldn't be out either," he said, touching her nose with his finger.

"I'm trying to find my mum. She-she never came home from work," she said, her eyes tearing up.

His hearts tore. He wanted to find Rose. Needed to find Rose, but he couldn't leave little Penelope all by herself.

"Where's your mum work?"

"At the Chasandor Hotel."

His stomach dropped. That was the same hotel he and Rose were staying at. What if…? No, Mr. Weaver said they wanted people who could bring more humans there.

"I-I think it got her."

"You think what got her?"

"The monster."

_Monster? _That's twice he'd heard that.

"Why do you think the monster got her?"

"Because she was scared after I saw it. It was my fault because I wasn't supposed to be out late, but she was still working and I got board so I went out back and I saw it."

"What did it look like? This monster?"

"It was scary, but I knew what it was because I'd seen pictures in the book my mom bought me. Do you want to see it?"

She had a book with a picture of the monster in it? That got him going. He took her hand.

"Show me."

She led him down the street, turned the corner, down another street, and into a two story flat. He followed her inside, through the living room, down the hall, and into a room that was unmistakably a little girl's bedroom.

She picked up a thick picture book from her nightstand and sat it on her bed. He watched her leaf through it until she came toward the middle. His eyes took in the pages as she turned them. It was a book of old Earth fairytales and nursery rhymes.

"That's the monster," she said, stopping and pointing to an illustration that filled half the page.

His stomach dropped and he was pretty sure both of his hearts stopped for a second. He'd seen that creature before, back when he and Rose were still together. Still traveling the stars, but it wasn't the picture that stopped his hearts. It was the caption under it. _Big Bad Wolf. _

He stared at the words, not even sure if he was breathing. _Here? How can it be here? _It could be a coincidence. Only he didn't really believe in coincidence. Or was it never ignore a coincidence? He wasn't sure because his mind wouldn't let him stop staring at the words. The words that shouldn't be there.

"Doctor?" Penelope asked, snapping him out of his trance.

_Right. Time to worry about coincidences later. _Right now he had to save Rose and help Penelope. He looked into her big, brown eyes, about the same shade his used to be. Maybe a little darker. He bent down so he was level with her.

"I'm going to find your mum, Penelope," he said.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really."

"How?"

"Well, first I need to find out where they are."

"The monster?"

"No, the people…" he paused because he had the feeling she knew something. "Do you know where the monster is?"

"Yes," she said in a tiny voice, as if talking about it might somehow bring it there.

"Where?"

She looked down at her hands. He could see the fear in her eyes. "I'm not supposed to say."

"I know you're scared, Penelope. It's okay to be scared, but sometimes, even through you're scared, you have to do something, especially if that something could help someone in trouble. Do you know what that's called?"

"No," she said, catching his gaze.

"It's called being brave and right now, Penelope, I need you to be brave. Be very, very brave. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now where is it?"

"I'll show you," she said, taking his hand.

He followed her out the back door and onto the porch.

"There's a mine over there," she said, pointing. "That's where it lives."

He couldn't see much in the direction she was pointing because it was so dark. A mine? How was it keeping people in a mine? He knelt down next to the little girl.

"Thank you, Penelope. Now, I need you to wait here while I find your mum and my friend. Okay?"

She nodded and ran back into the house. He could use the TARDIS to locate the mine and get inside. He would definitely need her and he really hoped she was up for it.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**I wanted to say thanks to all my readers you guys are awesome!**

**Looks like the Doctor is in the lead so far.  
**


	25. Rose and Adie

Rose was trying, unsuccessfully to calm Adie down. She had been nearly hysterical for the last five minutes. Ever since the man she recognized as the constable from town and another uniformed man drug a woman out of a cell at the back of the tunnel and disappeared into a chamber at the other end. Rose could still hear her scream echoing inside her mind.

"Adie! Adie!" Rose yelled.

She was starting to panic herself because she was afraid they might return for Adie just to shut her up.

"We're going to die! We're all going to die!" Adie wailed.

"No, we're not!" Rose insisted.

"Yes, we are and there's nothing we can do!"

"We're not going to die, Adie. I promise you that."

She knew they weren't going to die. No matter how bad it looked they were getting out of this because he was coming. Even if he wasn't in love with her, she knew he would move heaven and Earth, even alien-planet-replica-Earth, to find her.

"H-how can you say that?" Adie asked.

"Because it's true. I have a friend and he's coming for me. For us. He'll save us."

"N-no one can s-save us. That th-thing's going to g-get us. It's g-going to kill us."

_Wait. That thing. What thing? _She definitely knew more than she was saying. What did she know?

"What do you mean _that thing_?" Rose asked.

"It's a monster."

"Monster? What do you mean, monster?"

"I haven't seen it, but my daughter, she saw it. I knew about it, but maybe that's why I'm here. It's punishment because I knew and I let it happen. I didn't stop it, but how c-could I? If I had it would've taken her and…Oh, what's going to happen to her now? Sh-she's all alone," Adie cried.

Rose had no idea what she was talking about. _Punishment because she knew? _Knew what? About the monster? About people being taken? Probably.

"Adie," she tried, but when the woman didn't answer she tried again, more forcefully, "Adie!"

"W-what?"

"What do you mean you knew? What do you know?"

"I knew that something was going on, but I didn't stop it."

"What do you mean?"

"When the people started disappearing. I wanted to do something, but Mr. Weaver told me that if I did my daughter might disappear along with them so I didn't say anything. M-maybe this is my punishment for that."

"No one can blame you for protecting your daughter. Any mother good mother would do that."

"But now she's going to be all alone."

"No, she's not because we're getting out of here."

"No one can help us. It's going to kill us."

"I know a thing or two about monsters and so does my friend, actually he knows a lot more about them than I do. Do you know what it looks like?"

"I haven't seen it myself, but when my daughter saw it she said it looked like a picture in her storybook."

"A picture of what?"

"The Big Bad Wolf."

Rose's stomach knotted. It suddenly became very, very hard to breath. Did Adie say what she thought she said? _Bad Wolf. _Not here. How can it be here?

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**

**I'm tallying up the review votes and the pm votes so I should know which direction I'm going with this.  
**


	26. What is the Point of You?

The Doctor scanned the area as the TARDIS grumbled. He knew she wasn't quite ready, but he couldn't wait. If anything happened to Rose he…he didn't even know what he would do. It would kill him. He knew it would. Both of his hearts would break and he would die. Really, properly die. No coming back. No second chances or twelfths as it was. Poof. Gone. Dead.

Rose was his other half. He supposed he always knew that, but hadn't really allowed himself to know it. He'd been too busy repressing his feelings for her because he wanted her to be safe. Even if that meant letting her fall in love with someone else, but she hadn't fallen in love with the someone else.

_John. His name is John._

"Yes, I know that," he argued, knowing he was arguing with himself and not much caring.

_And he's still with Rasula._

"I know that too and I will find him."

Guilt. Great. That's all he needed on top of feeling panicked about Rose, angry at himself for making her feel like he'd abandoned her, furious at whoever had taken her, completely and hopelessly in love, and a horde of other emotions he couldn't pin down to label.

_And he's in love with her too._

"She said he's her friend," he said, knowing that he really didn't believe it. Well, that's how she felt, but probably not how John felt. He wasn't sure why she would feel that way. Why hadn't John told her how he felt? He left them together. What kept John from telling her?

_That's not how he feels._

"How do you know? He never said that," he snapped, defensively.

_You know._

Okay, maybe that was how John felt, but he kept it from her. That was his own fault. They had been together in an entirely different universe. It wasn't like John was competing with him.

"So? So what? That's not how _she_ feels."

_You can't have her._

He growled and he was pretty sure if he could've throttled the voice in his head he would have. He had denied himself the one thing that he wanted for so long. Why? Why couldn't he be happy just this once?

"Why?"

_You know._

"But…but she kissed me and…and I thought…" he stammered in a low voice.

_You'll kill her._

"I wouldn't do that."

But he knew that's what would happen. It was his one fear. The only thing in the entire universe, both universes that he was afraid of.

_No. Not on purpose, but it'll happen. She'll die and it'll be your fault._

"Not everyone dies," he insisted.

_Some of them live, but you still lose them._

"I…I could keep her safe."

He knew it was a losing battle, but he wanted to keep her with him so much. He just wanted her. Nothing else. Just her. Just _my Rose._

_You couldn't keep Amy and Rory safe._

He flinched as the voice suddenly took on Amy's persona. _Then what is the point of you?_

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out because he knew the voice was right. As much as he wanted her with him, he had to do right by her. He had to keep her safe.

_Save her. Save her and then let her go._

He started flipping levers and turning dials. He would get her out of that mine and away from this planet. Then they could find John. Once they were safe he would leave.

Rose sat on the floor of her cell near the bars just in case Adie started in again. The woman quieted down a while ago and Rose hoped she'd managed to fall asleep.

No sounds had come from the chamber at the other end of the hall for the last hour, but she knew that didn't mean they were safe. Far from it. She knew at any moment those men could walk out and grab another one of them.

The words _Bad Wolf _echoed in her mind. Was this place somehow connected to the scattered words? It seemed too much of a coincidence not to be connected, but she couldn't work out why she would bring herself here.

The _monster_, which wasn't a monster, but an alien, must be like the one she'd run across with the Doctor in Scotland. The day she'd met Queen Elizabeth. That creature had inhabited humans. Only it hadn't been the full creature. She remembered the Doctor explaining that it must have survived as a single cell and that's why it was possessing humans. It needed a shell to live in. If this one was the actual creature in full form then why would it need people?

The men appeared at the end of the tunnel, pulling her out of her thoughts. They walked toward the prisoners. _Three, _she reminded herself. _There are only three left. _That meant they would be coming for her and Adie soon. She had to work out a way to get them out of there before that happened.

As they passed by her cell the constable smirked at her and she wanted nothing more than to slap that smirk off of his face. Adie remained quiet as they passed her by and Rose hoped she would sleep though it.

She heard the bars slid up on a cell on the other side.

"No, not me, no!" a man shouted. "Please!"

She heard Adie startle awake with a gasp. The men drug the prisoner out of his cell and back down the hall. He was middle-aged, wearing a business suit. He struggled against them, but was unable to break their hold.

"No, please! I…I have money. I'll pay you. Whatever you want."

The men ignored his please and within a few minutes he was being dragged into the chamber. His scream echoed down the tunnel. She heard Adie whimper, but thankfully, she didn't start screaming.

Rose knew it was only a matter of time before they returned. She hoped the Doctor would find them in time.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**

**Thank you to everyone who voted. I now know how the story is going to end, but I'll be keeping that to myself because, well, to quote another character - Spoilers. :)  
**


	27. One Last Time

John opened his eyes. It took him a moment to remember where he was, but one word brought everything back. _Rasula. _He'd been trying to calculate the best way to pull off his plan and he must have fallen asleep. _Stupid human body. _As a Time Lord he hadn't needed much sleep and although he'd been living as a human for a few years, being in a situation like this made him forget that humans needed things like sleep.

He stood up, rubbing the crick in his neck. His muscles were still sore, but not nearly as bad as they had been. He started pacing the small room to get his blood circulation flowing again.

How long did he sleep? He had no idea. His watch stopped working after his first trip to Chamber One. He knew she could be coming for him any minute.

Where was the Doctor? John knew his time was running out and he knew what he had to do if no one showed up, but he'd still hoped the Doctor would show up. He still could show up, probably at the last minute, which is something the Doctor did, but he couldn't wait till the last minute.

As soon as that door slid open he'd have to act or he'd miss his chance and he couldn't…he wouldn't…let her get him into Chamber Two. It wasn't just about keeping the TARDIS secrets. It was about losing…everything.

Rose was everything to him and he couldn't lose her. He didn't even want to think what he would be without her. She'd saved him. He smiled as he thought about the first time he saw her. In the basement of that department store. She was beautiful. He'd seen that, even thinking of her as a _stupid ape _who had gone and blundered into the middle of his plan to take down the Autons.

Then she'd surprised him with her ability to rationalize what was going on. Of course, she'd been wrong, but still he admired the way she thought. _'Cause to get that many people dressed up and being silly they've got to be students._

Then she'd figured out where the signal was coming from and how to get to it. That's when he started thinking that maybe she was different. That thought solidified when she risked her life to save him, which turned out to be the first of many.

Through their travels together he saw the beauty and wonder of the universe through her eyes. And she stayed, even knowing what he was and what he'd done. With her at his side he changed. She made him a better man. He didn't want to think about what might've happened if he'd never found her.

He loved her. Completely and unconditionally and he didn't want to lose that. He couldn't lose that.

How far he'd come since the Medusa Cascade. A man with the memories of a Time Lord who's first act was an act of genocide by destroying every Dalek in existence. Well, in existence where they were anyway.

She changed him. Healed him as only Rose Tyler could. Reaching into his very soul to mold him into a man who might be worthy of her. He knew he wasn't the man she wanted. The man she'd crossed universes to find, but he felt lucky just to be able to be near her. His only regret was not telling her how he felt, but maybe that was best because he knew what her answer would be. How could copy compete with the original?

He leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor wishing he could hold her in his arms one last time.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


	28. Great Big Hairy Thing

Rose startled awake at the sound of footsteps in the tunnel. They were coming. This time for Adie. She had to stop them. She knew if they dragged Adie to that chamber there wouldn't be any way she could help her and she'd promised. She promised Adie they would make it out of there.

There was only one thing she could do. Somehow she had to get them to take her instead. She might be able to buy them some time, hopefully enough time for the Doctor to find them.

"Oi," Rose yelled as soon as the men were close enough. The constable eyed her, his mouth lifting into the same smirk he'd given her earlier. "Come to take someone else back there?" She nodded toward the chamber. "Why don't you take me then?"

"You'll have your turn," the constable replied.

"What's in there then?"

The constable paused next to her cell. The other man was next to him. She knew she wasn't going to be able to keep them talking for long.

"I wouldn't be so quick to find out if I were you."

"Well, you're not me, are ya?" She folded her arms defiantly. "I already know what's back there anyway, yeah?"

She could feel her hands shaking, but she ignored them. The only way to get them to leave Adie alone was to give them a reason to take her instead.

"Think so?"

The constable's smirk broadened. She could tell he didn't believe her.

"I do, yeah. Looks like a wolf, only it walks on its hind legs, am I right?"

His eyes widened. She was right. It was the same kind of creature she'd come across with the Doctor. She still wasn't sure what it was doing. Why it needed people.

"How do you-"

"Doesn't take a genius to figure it out, though I can see why it'd be hard for you to work out."

He growled, stepping closer to her cell. She'd struck a nerve, which is exactly what she intended to do. She smiled, knowing that would twist the knife in his wound that much more.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying. If it walks like an idiot and talks like an idiot-"

"I'll show you who's the idiot," he snapped, pulling out a remote and pressing a button.

The bars slid up. She tried to back away, but he grabbed her before she made it too far. Then the other man was beside her. They pulled her out of the cell and led her down the tunnel.

She could hear Adie yelling her name. She tried to push the fear down, but her stomach refused to unclench. _Hurry, Doctor, please hurry. _

The Doctor dug through his trunk. It had to be in there somewhere. There was only one way he knew of to defeat the Lupine Wavelength Haemovariform. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to use it, but he had to be ready just in case. He didn't have the Koh-i-Noor, but he did have something that should work. He came across it a couple years ago in a street market of all places on a rather small planet he'd landed on by accident. Well, he hadn't actually landed there. The TARDIS stopped there and refused to take him anywhere else because she was mad at him about something he said. She could be overly sensitive sometimes.

_Aha! _His fingers closed around the large stone. Now he just needed a way to magnify the light. _Mirrors. _That's what he needed. Some mirrors. He jumped up and raced down the corridors in search of a couple mirrors, some glass, and a telescope-y thing.

Rose looked around the chamber. It was brighter than her cell had been and when she looked up she realized it was from moonlight streaming through an opening in the ceiling. There was a large caged area in the back with a group of people inside. She recognized two of them. They were the prisoners who'd been drug away while she'd been in her cell.

The men released her. She turned around and watched them back out of the chamber then the constable pointed the remote at the ceiling. Bars dropped into place, blocking her only exit.

"What are you doing?" she asked, trying to sound brave, but her voice wavered, betraying her.

"Can't have you running off," the constable smirked.

"What did you do to them?"

She pointed at the caged people in the back.

"They're in transition," a guttural voice boomed from the shadows to her right.

She wheeled around as a creature detached from the shadows and stepped into the moonlight. It looked almost exactly like the one that had chased her at that old manor in Scotland. Her heart pounded in her chest.

"What-what do you mean, transition?" she asked, when she finally found her voice.

She had to keep it talking. As long as it was talking it wasn't attacking.

"They're becoming like me."

"Like you? You mean a…" She tried to remember what the Doctor called them, but the only word that came to mind was werewolf.

"Lupine."

"You bit them then, yeah?"

The creature looked at her in surprise.

"How did you know?"

"I met someone like you once, but he was different. He'd crashed on…on the planet I'm from, but according to the…a friend of mine, only a single cell survived the crash so he needed a body to live in. But you don't need a body, yeah?"

"No."

"Then why are you doing this? If you need a way home my friend, he can take you there."

"Why would I want to leave?"

"You can't stay here."

The creature laughed. "I can do whatever I want. There's no one to stop me."

The familiar high-pitched whine of the TARDIS engines echoed through the chamber. She let out a grateful sigh as the blue police box materialized to her left. The door opened and the Doctor stepped out with his sonic in one hand.

"Hello, Rose," he said, glancing at her. "All right there?"

"Yeah, I am now," she said.

He pushed the button on his sonic and pointed it at the nearest wall, then looked at the readings. "Ah, not really a mine then. I thought it might be a ship. It's a little Sycorax-ish, don't you think?" He glanced around the chamber as he talked, his eyes coming to rest on the caged people. "You found the people from the hotel." He scanned them with his sonic then checked the reading. "Not people anymore I'm afraid."

The creature growled, drawing the Doctor's attention. "My you're a great big hairy thing aren't you?"

"Who are you?" the creature growled.

"I'm the Doctor," he said straightening his bowtie. "Now, I know what you are and I know what you've done to those people, but I'm willing to give you a chance. One chance that's all you get. Go back to your planet and leave these people alone."

"Or?"

"Or I'm going to have to stop you and believe you, me, you don't want that."

The creature laughed. "You?"

"Yes, me. So, what's your answer?"

"No."

"I was afraid you'd say that," he said pointing his sonic at the hole in the ceiling and pushing the button.

A loud hum filled the room and then it was flooded with a bright light. Rose had to close her eyes from the brightness. She heard the Lupine scream followed by the prisoners. Then the room grew quiet.

"Rose, you can open your eyes," the Doctor said.

The light was gone. She looked around the room. The Lupine and the people in the cage were gone. In the next moment the Doctor was in front of her, wrapping his arms around her. She gave him a squeeze. He pulled back, resting his hands on her shoulders, gazing into her eyes.

"Don't do that again. You know how I feel about people running off," he said.

"I didn't run off," Rose protested.

He hugged her again. "I'm just glad you're all right."

"Doctor," Rose said after he released her, "there's a woman in one of the cells."

He used his sonic to open the bars then she led him down the tunnel. Adie was crouched in the cell next to the one Rose had been locked in. The woman's brown hair was disheveled and her blue Victorian style dress was smudged with dirt, but she appeared to be fine.

"No, please, no!" Adie screamed as they approached.

"Adie, it's me, Rose."

"Rose?" she asked, tentatively.

"Yes. My friend came, just like I told you."

The Doctor opened the bars and Rose put her arm around Adie's shoulders to comfort her as she led the woman down the tunnel to the TARDIS.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


	29. Mistakes

Rose waited in the TARDIS while the Doctor reunited Adie with her daughter, who turned out to be the little girl they'd met when they first arrived. She still felt a bit awkward about kissing him before and she'd caught him giving her strange sideways glances after they brought Adie inside the TARDIS.

She'd been holding on to the way things used to be between them. She still wasn't sure how long it had been for him since they were together, but obviously long enough for him to move on.

The door opened and the Doctor stepped inside, giving her a nervous glance before crossing to the console. She watched him for a moment and then crossed the room to join him. He was still her friend, after all and she would take that if that's all she could get.

"So, all sorted?" she asked.

"Yes," he said with another sideways glace.

He flipped a lever and the TARDIS hummed to life.

"Vestros, yeah?"

"Vestros."

He flipped another lever and the TARDIS took flight.

* * *

The Doctor flipped levers and turned dials racing between the console and the control panels. Rose was acting distanced. She was there with him in the control room, but she hadn't gotten close enough to actually touch him since…well…since the hotel, which was good. _Yes, definitely good. _

He'd already decided that he couldn't take her with him. Even though he really, really wanted to. She was safer here. She hadn't been with him very long and he'd already almost gotten her killed. No, he couldn't take her with him.

He was trying to busy himself. He really didn't need to press all of those buttons, but if he stood still he kept finding himself looking at her and that would just lead to no good.

She was standing at the console mere inches from him and… No, can't think about that. _Button. Definitely need a button to press. _A dash to one of the control panels and, pushed a button, _Now what? _Monitor. _Yes, should definitely look at the monitor. _

He glanced at her and… _She's looking at me. Should I say something? Yes, I should say something, but what? Should I…? No, can't talk about that. Definitely don't want to bring that up._

"So, what are we going to do once we find her ship?" Rose asked.

"Well, I thought we'd locate John and then save him."

"But what about Rasula? She's already been to Earth once, yeah?"

Yes, he had to do something about her. Definitely had to do something.

"I'll make sure she doesn't visit Earth again."

Rose leaned over to see what he was looking at on the monitor and brushed his arm, making him jump. _Button. Need to press a button. _And he dashed to one of the control panels in search of a button.

* * *

She slunk back to the stairs and sat down watching him dash around the control room. He was acting weird. Weirder than normal, which was saying something. She knew it had to do with that kiss and that they really needed to talk about it. Clear the air.

Now wasn't really the best time. Not when they were on their way to save John. _I should wait, yeah? I should definitely wait. _The Doctor pushed a button and dashed back to the console. Waiting wasn't going to make things easier. No. She took a deep breath. Best to get it over with now.

"Doctor?" she asked.

"Yes?" he inquired as he gazed at the monitor.

"We need to talk."

* * *

His mind completely froze on one word. _Talk. _He knew what she wanted to talk about and he really, really didn't want to talk about that. Why couldn't she just put it behind her?

"Much too busy to talk now I'm afraid," he said.

_Button. Button. Damn it, isn't there a button somewhere I can push? _

"This can't wait," she said.

Yes, it could. It could definitely wait. It could wait until…until… _Until I'm gone and then we don't ever have to talk about it. _Yes, that seemed reasonable.

He turned around to tell her and _Blast! _She looked so completely alone and vulnerable sitting on the steps like that and all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and make her feel better.

He tried to lean on the console to give his hands something to do because they'd gone all twitchy at the thought of holding her and then he pressed a button he didn't mean to press and he had to hurriedly fix what he almost broke. When he turned back to her she was still looking at him with those hazel eyes that could make him do anything.

He sighed, realizing the talk was going to happen whether he wanted it to or not. So, he crossed the room and sat down on the steps near her, but not close enough to actually touch her while he was sitting. Well, unless he wanted to, which he did, but _No, can't do that. Stop thinking about that! _

* * *

She watched him fidget for a minute. Part of her really didn't want to talk about it, but she didn't like feeling awkward around him and she still wanted to go with him…didn't she? She pushed that question aside for now. She could figure that out later, but if she did go with him she really didn't want them to be like this.

"About that kiss-" she began, but he cut her off.

"Oh, yes, the kiss. It was fine really, completely a mistake. I mean, utterly, completely, but you know, things happen. It's fine though, really," he stammered.

_A mistake? _So, she was right. She'd completely mixed his signals. She glanced at him, but he was looking away from her, fidgeting with his hands. She didn't want him to think she had feelings that he didn't share, even though, well, she did. He'd changed, his face, and a bit of his personality, but that happened when he regenerated. He was still the Doctor though. _Her Doctor. _And she still loved him, but she didn't want him to be like this around her.

"Yes, it was a mistake," she said and now he was looking at her and he seemed hurt, then it was gone a moment later and she couldn't be sure she'd seen it there at all. _Don't start getting his signals crossed again. _"When you told me what you did I just…I guess I just started thinking…you know…about what things used to be like…and…and I got confused. That's all."

"Yes, well, that's understandable." He was looking at the console now. "Completely understandable." He stood up. "If that's all I really do need to check things."

He walked off without waiting for a reply, making her feel like she'd somehow made things worse.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


	30. Attempted Escape

John was prepared when the door slid open. He dashed out into the corridor, knocking Rasula down in his wake. He ignored her shouts as he ran. He had to find the engine room. If he could find it then he could stop her. Stop all of this and Rose would be safe. Everyone would be safe.

He turned a corner and side stepped a Roboform before it could reach for him. He shoved his shoulder into the next one, knocking it down and continued around the next corner.

He could hear Rasula pursuing him, but he tried to block that out as he scanned the doors he passed. The engine room should be down a few more corridors if he was right, which he usually was. Well, most of the time, but he didn't talk about those other times, which were rare, very, very rare.

He rounded the next corner and plowed over a Roboform before it could turn around. A door slid open as he passed it. Lerson stepped into the corridor and John would've laughed at the shocked look on his face if he'd had more time.

"No!" Rasula shouted from behind him.

He wasn't going to stop no matter… Pain lanced through his right side. He spun around as his legs gave way and a moment later he crashed to the floor. He landed on his back. His side felt like it was on fire and his hand instinctively felt for a wound, touching something moist. He lifted his hand and looked at his palm. _Blood. _

_Lerson shot me! _He almost couldn't believe it.

"Why did you shoot him you idiot?" Rasula yelled.

He turned his head and saw her fuming at Lerson. She walked over to John and glared down at him.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" she asked.

"Guess you won't get that information after all," John said.

He knew the bullet had punctured one of his organs. He was bleeding out and it was only a matter of time before he died, but that was okay because Rasula wouldn't be able to take Rose away from him now. If he had to die to keep her then that was a price he was willing to pay.

Rasula bent down and pulled a scanner from her belt. She ran it over his body and then checked the readings.

_Just let me die. Please, just let me die. _

"Don't worry, Mr. Smith. I have a very good doctor on board. He'll get you all patched up in no time," she said, giving him a cold smile.

"No!" he yelled, struggling to stand, but before he could she pulled a small stun gun from her waist and shot him in the head.

* * *

The Doctor finished scanning the first ship without finding John. They located Vestros, but after arriving found, not one ship orbiting the planet, but three and since he didn't get a look at the ship she left in he couldn't be sure which one was hers.

"Find him?" Rose asked.

"Not yet," he answered, turning a few dials and pushing a button.

John had to be in one of the ships, unless… No, he didn't want to think about that. They couldn't be too late. He'd brought the half-Time Lord with him and if something happened to him it would be his fault. He started to scan the next ship.

"What if-" Rose began.

"We _will_ find him."

He glanced at her and could see she was close to losing it. _Damn! _Why did she have to be so _Rose. _Her eyes were tearing up and all he wanted to do was hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay, but he couldn't chance that. He barely had the strength to be this close to her.

He turned back to the monitor and focused on the scanner.

* * *

A sharp slap to John's cheek snapped his eyes open. He stared up at a white ceiling as he tried to figure out where he was and what was going on. He was laying on something hard. He heard movement and in the next moment Rasula's face peered down at him.

"Glad you could join us," she sneered.

"Rasula," he growled, trying to get up, but his wrists and ankles seem to be bound. "What are you doing?"

"I thought we might have a little chat."

"I don't have anything to say to you."

"I think you might once you realize where you are."

John lifted his head and peered around the room. He took in the tables filled with equipment and wires. His eyes fell on a man in a lab coat and widened as he noticed the Kahler markings on his face. _No! _

He struggled against the restraints.

"Don't do this, Rasula! Let me go!"

"Oh, I don't think so, but I am willing to give you a choice."

"What choice?"

"If you tell me all about the TARDIS I might be willing to let you keep your mind."

He couldn't tell her. If she got her hands on the TARDIS no one would be safe.

"No."

"Very well," she shrugged.

She pulled out a remote and pressed a button. A device lowered from the ceiling attached to jointed metal. It looked almost like a dental x-ray machine only more formidable and laser-y.

"No! Don't do it!" he shouted as he struggled.

She pointed the remote at the Extractor and all he could think about was Rose and the fact that he was about to lose her forever.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


	31. Botched Rescue

Rasula pointed the remote at the Extractor and all John could think about was Rose and the fact that he was about to lose her forever.

A high-pitched whine filled the room.

"What is that?" Lerson yelled.

John turned his head toward the noise and watched as the blue police box materialized in the wake of a gust of wind. It landed in front of the door, blocking the entrance to the room. _Ha! _The Doctor found him.

The TARIDS door opened and the Time Lord stepped out, brandishing his sonic screwdriver. He pointed it at Lerson, whose gun sparked and then dropped to the floor then turned it on the Roboforms, taking them out one at a time as they advanced.

* * *

Rose raced out the door and into the white room. The Doctor told her to wait inside, but that wasn't going to happen. He was taking out the Roboforms with his sonic, but as soon as her eyes fell on John, strapped to a metal table she ran across the room. She had to help him.

"Ah, ah, ah," Rasula sneered.

She was standing on the other side of John, pointing some kind of remote at a formidable device that was hanging down from the ceiling and aimed directly at his head. Rose slid to a stop before she reached him.

"Doctor!" she yelled, turning her head to make sure he heard her.

Now that the Roboforms were taken care of he turned his attention to the new threat.

"Let him go!" he demanded.

"Drop your weapon," Rasula commanded.

"It's not a weapon. It's a screwdriver."

"Drop it."

The Doctor took a step forward, but Rasula lifted her thumb, as if to press the button.

"It's your choice."

* * *

The Doctor looked from the device to John then to Rasula's outstretched hand. It wasn't one of her typical torture devices. His mind tried to work out what it was.

"Drop your weapon," she demanded.

John's skin was waxy. He looked bad. Really, not good. There was sweat on his forehead and he was trembling. The Doctor knew he needed to get him inside the TARDIS to the sick bay. He needed to end this.

If he was quick enough he should be able to short out the device. He raised his arm, but she pressed the button before he could activate his sonic. A beam of light shot out, striking John. He screamed. The Doctor focused on the device. It turned, striking Rasula.

* * *

Rose raced to John's side, ignoring the screaming woman.

"Are you all right?" she asked, trying to get the restraints off his wrists.

"I think there's," his face contorted in pain, "something wrong with my side."

"We can take a look at it once we get you inside the TARDIS."

He tried to set up as she fumbled with the restraints.

"Why can't I move my arms and legs?"

He sounded panicky, which wasn't like him at all.

"Doctor!" she called.

The Time Lord was beside her in the next moment, using his sonic to unclasp the restraints. She helped John up. He wavered. She definitely needed to get him inside. He would be all right. He had to be.

"Here, let me help you," she said, pulling his arm around her neck and helping him to stand.

"Thank you. It's very nice of you to help me."

"Shut up."

He and the Doctor were the only two men she knew who could joke at a time like this. She began leading him toward the TARDIS.

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

She glanced at him to tell him to shut up again and realized he was being serious. The smile that she'd expected wasn't there.

"Are you okay?"

"My side hurts, pretty bad actually, but other than that I think I'm fine, why?"

"John, please tell me you're joking."

"John? Who's that?"

* * *

The Doctor pointed his sonic at the Kahler scientist. He'd picked up Lerson's discarded weapon. For the most part the Kahler were peaceful, but he'd met on when he'd accidentally taken Amy and Rory back to the old west and that one had been, well, less than reputable. He'd done the right thing in the end, but that had taken time. Time they didn't have right now.

"Put it down," the Doctor insisted, poised to push the button on his sonic if need be.

"She took my daughter," the Kahler said.

_His daughter? _So, that's how Rasula had gotten him to work for her. She must have taken his daughter and threatened him. He couldn't leave the Kahler there to come up with new ways for her to torture people. He had to get him to come with them.

"I can help you. That's my ship," he nodded toward the TARDIS, "I can use it to find your daughter and get her back for you. Then I can take you both home. What do you say?"

The Kahler glanced from the Doctor to Lerson who was beside Rasula as she leaned on the metal table. She seemed confused. Well, she probably hadn't been exposed to her own torture devices before.

"Let me help you," he coaxed.

The Kahler nodded, dropping the weapon.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled.

He could hear urgency in her voice and immediately ran to her. She was holding John up, holding one of his arms around her neck. His face was pinched in pain.

"You need to get him into the sick bay," the Doctor insisted.

"There's something else wrong with him."

"We can figure it out later. We need to go."

He motioned with his hands for emphasis, but she didn't move.

"He doesn't know who he is."

He froze. _What? _Doesn't know who he is? _That's, well, what? _He remembered the prisoners he'd seen that Rasula had tortured to the point that they'd lost their minds. He looked at John. No, he didn't have the same look that they had, but he seemed…different.

"She used the Extractor on him," the Kahler scientist said.

"The what?" the Doctor asked, turning to him.

"She made me build it for her. I-I didn't have a choice. If I refused she would have killed my daughter."

_Extractor? _The Doctor glanced at the device hanging down from the ceiling over the metal table.

"What does it do?"

"It-it takes memories. Extracts them and stores the information to be accessed later."

It extracted memories. Why would she want…? And suddenly he knew. She wanted information about the TARDIS. John had the Doctor's memories so he had the same knowledge the Doctor had about the TARDIS. That's why she used it.

"Get inside," he said, motioning toward the TARDIS, then sprinted off toward the Extractor, but stopped as he caught sight of Lerson who was pulling a gun out of a holster at Rasula's waist. The Doctor pointed his sonic at the Extractor and wiped its memory then dashed back to the TARDIS as he dodged a blast from the gun.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


	32. Consequences

Rose led John into the TARDIS. She heard the man with the strange markings on his face following, but she was more worried about John at the moment than anyone else.

He didn't know who he was and he didn't seem to know who she was. That man said the device had taken his memories. The Doctor could fix him. He had to fix him. John had been there for her. All that time she'd spent trying to get back to the Doctor and he'd been there, helping her. She couldn't lose him.

The Doctor rushed through the door a moment later and up to the console. He started flipping levers and the TARDIS hummed to life.

John screamed and almost pulled her to the floor as his legs buckled.

"Doctor!" she yelled.

The Doctor rushed over to her, using his sonic to scan John. He looked at the readings.

"That's not good, definitely not good," he said.

"What's wrong?" she demanded.

"Come on."

He helped her get John to his feet and they led him to the sick bay.

* * *

_This is really not good. _John had sustained an injury to his side and it seemed that someone tried to mend it only they hadn't done a very good job. Probably rushed through it, knowing Rasula. She wanted the information bad enough to try to keep him alive only long enough to get what she wanted.

He helped Rose get him up on the table and then raced around the room to find the medical supplies he needed.

"Let me help," the Kahler scientist said.

"Right then," the Doctor said, stopping what he was doing. "You take care of him and I'll find your daughter."

He rushed out the room. He needed to find the man's daughter before she could be moved or killed. Now that the Kahler was gone they didn't have any reason to hold onto her.

* * *

Rose watched the Doctor run out of the room. _What the hell is he doing? _John was lying there, unconscious. He could be dying. He looked like he might die. And the Doctor was running off.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked, drawing up on the other side of the medical table.

"I just need to find a few things," the man said, searching around the room.

She held John's hand. He couldn't die. He just couldn't.

"Will you be able to help him?"

"Oh, yes. With these medical supplies I can heal him in no time."

She let out a breath. He would be okay. She hadn't realized her eyes had misted over until she felt a tear slide down her cheek. As she looked at him she couldn't help, but be reminded of the Doctor. Not the Doctor now, but how he used to be when he looked like John. He was so different now. He'd walled himself away. He hadn't been like that before. At least, not with her.

He used to be easy to laugh and smile. She could joke with him and often she'd find him slipping his hand in hers. John was like him. She'd noticed that, but until this moment, with him lying there, she hadn't realized how much she cared about him.

"Can it be reversed?" she asked.

"Can what be reversed?" the man asked.

"That thing that took his memories. Can he get them back?"

"Oh…I-I'm not sure."

"But you made it, yeah?"

"Yes."

"Then you should be able to reverse it."

"I would need the Extractor because that's where his memories were stored."

There had to be a way. Maybe…yes, the Doctor could figure out a way. He would save John. That's what the Doctor did.

* * *

The Doctor smiled at the surprised look on the girl's face as he made the TARDIS materialize around her. She looked like she was around eleven or twelve. The Kahler scientist walked around the corner, entering the control room at that moment.

"Treka," he exclaimed, running toward her.

"Dad!" she met him halfway, jumping into his arms as he hugged her.

_That's one happy ending then. _John was going to be another matter entirely.

He flipped a few levers then raced to one of the control panels to push a button and turn a dial. Time to get the Kahlers home.

"Thank you," the scientist said, joining him next to the console.

"You're welcome."

"You're friend is going to be all right. His injuries are healed. I left the girl, Rose, with him."

"That's good."

"She asked me about his memories. If you go back for the Extractor I could reverse it and give your friend his memories back. It's the least I could do for saving my daughter."

"I can't."

"Can't?"

"There wasn't time for me to get the device so I wiped it."

The Doctor flipped a lever as guilt welled up inside of him. John's memories were gone and there wasn't anything he could do to fix that.

* * *

Rose stood next to the medical table holding John's hand. The man had left, but she didn't want to leave John alone. His memories were gone and she didn't want him to wake up and not know where he was or what was going on.

It hurt her to think that he'd open his eyes, look at her and not know who she was. Not remember everything they'd been through and everything they shared. Not only his memories of being the Doctor, but everything they'd done together since that day on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay. The day he told her he loved her.

He wouldn't remember those years they spent growing the TARDIS or the long nights working out a way to create a stable window from this universe to the one the Doctor was in.

She smiled as she thought about the way he'd asked her to have dinner with him and what she'd been about to say to him before the Roboforms attacked. She hadn't said anything to him before because they were friends, but they weren't just friends. He met more to her than that.

His hand twitched in hers and then he opened his eyes. She wanted him to somehow remember her, but when his eyes found hers the familiar smile wasn't there.

"Hello," he said, sitting up.

She let go of his hand.

"Hi," she replied with a small smile.

"Um…" he looked around the room. "…where am I?"

"You're on the…" and then she realized he wouldn't have any idea what the TARDIS was, "You're on my friend's ship."

She just wanted him to remember her, but she knew that wasn't possible. Not yet. Not until the Doctor gave John back his memories.

"You…uh…you called me John…before," he said, rubbing the back of his neck in a way that she found so familiar.

"Yeah."

"Is that my name?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what happened to me? Why…um…why I can't remember anything?"

She didn't know what to tell him. He didn't remember the TARDIS or anything. If she told him someone took his memories he probably wouldn't believe her.

"I'm not sure, but you can ask the Doctor when he comes in."

"Doctor?"

"Yeah, he's…um…he's my friend."

He stared at her for a moment and he looked like he was trying to work something out.

"Have we met before? You look…I don't know…kind of familiar," then he shook his head again, rubbing his neck, "never mind."

Her heart leapt. If she looked familiar to him then maybe he could remember. She took his hand.

"Yes, we know each other. We're…we're friends…do you remember that?"

He looked at her hand for a moment and then pulled away.

"No, sorry, I don't and come to think of it you were in that room with me. How do I know you didn't have anything to do with what happened to me?" he snapped, suddenly becoming agitated.

"I-I didn't. We came there to save you."

"Why would you do that? I don't even know you," he jumped to his feet, advancing on her.

* * *

The Doctor walked down the corridor toward the sick bay. He'd dropped the scientist and his daughter off and decided to check on John before making the trip back to Earth. As he approached the sick bay he heard John yelling and when he stepped into the room he saw the half-Time Lord advancing on a very frightened Rose.

He crossed the room in a few strides and laid his hand on John's forehead willing him to sleep before the other man knew he was in the room. He caught John as he passed out and with Rose's help, laid him back on the medical table.

"Are you all right?" he asked, checking Rose.

"Yes, I'm fine, but," she leaned on the table and looked at John, "what's wrong with him? Why'd he act like that?"

"He's scared."

"Scared I get, but he wasn't just scared."

"People act out in anger when they're afraid."

Well, not just people. He remembered the way the Krafayis acted out and what Vincent said about the way the townspeople treated him because they were afraid. The way the children threw stones at him.

John was alone and he was in a place he didn't recognize. He was frightened and that could make him very dangerous.

"What did you do to him?" Rose asked.

"I made him sleep."

"Like you did to that girl, Chloe when she had that Isolus thing inside of her?"

"Yes, but I'm going to have to find somewhere to put him."

"What do you mean?"

"He's scared, which makes him dangerous. I can't have him hurting anyone."

_I won't let him hurt you. _He wasn't sure what John was capable of without his memories and he wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do with the half-Time Lord.

"But you can give him back his memories and then he'll be all right, yeah?"

"No."

"What do you mean, no? That man said he could reverse it."

"I had to wipe the Extractor's memory bank. There wasn't time to get it and I couldn't let anyone have access to his memories. It would be too dangerous."

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


	33. Three Things

So, John's memories were gone and he was stuck like that. He didn't remember her. He didn't remember anything. He didn't even know he was a half-Time Lord. Her eyes filled with tears at the realization that she'd lost him. He was there, but he wasn't and she'd never get him back.

No, this couldn't be it. After everything he'd gone through this couldn't be the way he wound up. There had to be something they could do.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" she asked.

"Not without his memories."

"But he had your memories. Couldn't you…I don't know…help him remember?"

"What do you mean?"

"Could you share your memories with him? Do that…" she gestured at his hands, "…thing you do."

"My _thing _as you put it, doesn't work like that. I can't just give him my memories and make him believe they're his. If he had some basis for them, then maybe, but his mind has been wiped. He doesn't remember anything."

"What if…what if he recognized something?" she asked, thinking about the way John had looked at her and what he said.

"Did he?"

"He looked at me after he woke up and said I looked familiar. Do you think…maybe?" she asked, knowing it was a long shot, but hoping that somehow it was enough.

The Doctor put his hands on John's temples. Rose watched anxiously. _Please let this work. _She needed John to be okay. To wake up and know who she was.

* * *

The Doctor doubted it would work. John's mind had been wiped, all the people he had met, all the places he had been, purged from his mind. There was still a basic level of information, but nothing that connected him to anyplace or anyone.

He sifted through the half-Time Lord's mind looking for something that might have been saved, knowing how impossible that was, but then he'd seen a few impossible things in his time.

"I don't…"

_Wait. There was something._ A name. _Rose Tyler. _Then he found an image of her, tucked at the farthest reaches of John's mind. It was an image of her that day on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay. A name, an image, and three words. _I love you. _Somehow he'd managed to hold onto those three things.

"Did you find something?" Rose asked.

He pulled them to the surface so John could remember them. It wasn't much, but maybe it was enough to keep him grounded. Then he shared his memories of her. Everything they had done together in his ninth regeneration and then in his tenth. He stopped that day at Bad Wolf Bay before John could see the end of that day through his eyes.

"Yes."

He broke the connection and John opened his eyes. The half-Time Lord looked around in confusion then he noticed Rose.

"Rose?" he asked, sitting up.

"Yes," she said, hugging him. "It's me. I'm here, John. I'm right here."

* * *

_John? _The new Doctor thought. Well, if she wanted to call him John that was perfectly fine with him, especially if she was going to hug him like that. His face split into a broad grin. He'd used that name when he'd been…well, when he'd been the Doctor. He still was the Doctor, just not _the Doctor. _

He wasn't sure why he was back on the TARDIs, what was going on, or who that other bloke was, but Rose seemed to have accepted him so he really didn't care much about anything else. As long as she was all right and she seemed to be. Yes, she was very all right.

She pulled away and looked at him with that smile that he loved so much. He ran a hand through his hair.

"So…um…did something happen on the beach?" he asked.

"What?" Rose inquired, with a confused look.

"Well, obviously something must have happened. The Doctor said he couldn't take me with him and I remember…well…you know…" he trailed off not sure if he should actually talk about it.

"Remember what?"

"You kissed me," he said, feeling a flush rising in his cheeks and wanting to kick himself for acting like that in front of her.

The man took her hand, making John sit up a little straighter because the contact was far more intimate than he liked. _Who the hell is this guy? _

"He only remembers what I remember," the man said.

"So, he doesn't remember anything after?" Rose asked.

"I can't give him memories I don't have."

What the hell were they talking about? He looked from Rose to the man, not liking at all the look in his eyes, which seemed a lot like a distant longing, as if he'd like nothing better than to… Well, that isn't bloody well going to happen. John stood up, stepping closer to Rose and eyeing the man warningly.

He was younger than John, well, obviously, but he looked younger. He had a mop of brown hair that hung over one eye. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he certainly wasn't going to let this kid make advances on Rose.

"Who are you?" John asked.

"I'm the Doctor," the kid introduced.

"No you're not. The Doctor looks like me." Unless… He could've regenerated, but, no, they'd just been on the beach.

"He is, John," Rose said. "He really is."

He looked into the kid's eyes. No, no way. He couldn't be, but he could see it in his eyes. He was the Doctor.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


	34. It's About Her

John wondered down the corridors, mulling over everything he'd been told since he opened his eyes and found out he was back on the TARDIS. The Doctor was taking them home, back to a home he didn't remember.

It hadn't been a day since Bad Wolf Bay, it'd been years. Years with Rose that he didn't remember. He didn't ask what happened between them since that day because, well, because he was afraid of the answer.

She seemed to have accepted him, but she hadn't tried to hold his hand once since he'd woke up. That was, well, he rubbed his neck, their thing. It was her way of saying, _I'm here. I'll always be here. _

His memories had been taken by a woman he didn't remember. He knew there was a lot missing. He'd had ten regenerations over the course of his life, but he only remembered two. Big ears and, well, who he was now because, according to the Doctor, John's mind would only accept memories that had some basis and the only basis he'd managed to hold onto was _her. _

So, Rose was everything to him, but he was pretty sure even if he had all of his memories back she would still be everything. He loved her. Completely. He knew those feelings weren't because she was all he knew. They came from somewhere, from his very soul. Somehow, he'd managed to hold onto a piece of her. He didn't know all he'd lost, couldn't even guess, but if she was all he would ever have of his lost memories then he would take that. Gladly.

Voices drew him out of his thoughts. He was nearing the control room and was about to walk around the corner when his name stopped him in his tracks.

"I know, John, Doctor and he's not like that," Rose said.

"I'm not saying he is. Not now. I'm saying it's a possibility," the Doctor argued.

_Possibility? Possibility of what?_

"No it's not."

"Rose," John had to move a little closer to the entryway because the Doctor's voice lowered, "I'm not trying to upset you, but I need you to understand how this could affect him. I could only do a partial memory transfer. Very partial, considering how much he lost. I could only give him those memories associated to you."

"You already told me that," she said, but John could hear an edge to her voice.

"Right now _you _are all he knows. All he remembers and that could be dangerous-"

"He isn't like that. I…I can't talk about this now," she said, slowly.

The Doctor thought he was dangerous? Was he? It was true that Rose was all he remembered. All he knew, but he would never do anything to hurt her. He'd die first. She was…everything to him.

He remembered the way the Doctor had held her hand in the sick bay. The look in his eyes. The same look he had every time he gazed at her. Did he really think John was dangerous or was he trying to get her to believe that?

John heard her footsteps. He hurried back down the corridor and around the corner, not wanting her to know he'd been listening. He leaned against the wall, listening to her footsteps approach.

When she walked around the corner he noticed the unshed tears in her eyes, making his heart ache. Did she believe what the Doctor said about him being dangerous? Or was she upset at the Time Lord?

"Oh…um…hi," she said in surprise.

"Hi," he replied, wishing that his mouth hadn't just gone dry.

She started to walk past him, but he needed to find out how she felt. Well, not how she felt really, but if she thought that there was something wrong with him.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm…I'm fine."

"You're not fine, Rose. You're upset. I can see that. Tell me what's wrong."

He knew he had no right to request that of her. Or maybe he did. They had spent time together. Years, on this parallel world without the Doctor.

She fidgeted and looked down at her hands for a moment and he thought she wasn't going to tell him, but then she looked up. He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he replied and immediately knew that wasn't what she wanted to hear. It's what he used to tell her when he was anything, but fine. Well, what the Doctor used to tell her, but since he remembered saying it too then it was the same thing. Or, at least, seemed like the same thing.

"No, _really_," she said. "Are you _really_ okay?"

The Doctor had gotten into her head. He definitely needed to put an end to her worries. So, maybe he didn't have all of his memories, but that didn't mean he was dangerous. Especially not to her.

He stuffed his hand in his pocket and rubbed the back of his neck with the other. He needed to reassure her that he was okay. That he would never hurt her.

"I know the Doctor's worried about me. Well, my mind actually because…well…because of what he did. But I'm okay. Really. If I thought for one second that there was something wrong I'd tell you. You know that don't you?"

She looked at him and for a moment he couldn't breathe. He just needed her to trust him. Trust that he would never hurt her because he wouldn't, but if she believed that he would, if he'd somehow lost her trust, it would kill him.

"Yes, I know you would," she said and before he could stop himself he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor with that hug he reserved only for her and to his relief she squeezed him back.

* * *

The Doctor leaned back against the console, crossing his arms. He wasn't sure exactly why he didn't trust the half-Time Lord, but he couldn't let go of the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that there was something wrong with John. It wasn't just the way he'd glared at the Doctor when he hadn't known who he was or the way John looked at Rose. As if she was the only person in existence, which is the way he should look at her, after all, he did share the Doctor's feelings for her. There was something else though. Something different about his eyes.

Maybe it was because John no longer had all of his memories. Memories of the Time War and everything he'd done. All the people he'd killed. He couldn't say exactly what it was that made them seem different, but that difference unsettled him.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear John enter the control room until the half-Time Lord spoke.

"Once you get us back home you'll be leaving then," John said.

It was more of a statement than a question. The Doctor glanced at him and once again noticed the look in his eyes that the Time Lord couldn't quite read.

"There are some tests I need to run on your TARDIS, but once that's finished then, yes, I'll be leaving."

He didn't actually have to run tests. That was an excuse. He didn't want to leave until he knew John was stable. Knew that he wouldn't snap and hurt Rose. The Doctor couldn't leave until he knew she was safe. That's why he'd left her there in the first place.

"Tests?"

The Doctor could hear the disbelief in his voice.

"Yes."

"Are you sure that's not just an excuse?"

Yes, it was an excuse. Of course it was an excuse, but he thought John would buy it. After all his TARDIS had just been taken aboard a ship and then sent back home using the Doctor's TARDIS. Okay, so maybe that didn't warrant tests, but still it seemed like a good excuse.

"An excuse for what?"

"To stick around a little longer."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"I heard you tell her that you think I'm dangerous."

"I…" This was really not good. If John knew he thought the half-Time Lord was dangerous could that make him snap? Maybe. Well, if he was going to it might be better if he did it now, especially with Rose safely out of the line of fire. "I didn't say that you were dangerous. I told her it was possible."

"Because you think my mind is unstable."

"Yes. The mind is a delicate thing. With everything you've been through-"

"You can cut the crap."

"What?" the Doctor asked, taken back by the viciousness in John's voice.

"I was born with the memories of a Time Lord running through my mind. Your memories. Do you think my mind is really that weak?"

_Yes…no…yes. _Okay, it was true that John had been born with all those memories, which probably did mean…okay definitely did mean his mind was stronger than other human minds, but he was still physically human. And there was still that look in his eyes, the one that unsettled the Doctor.

"Possibly."

"Possibly? No, I don't buy that. This isn't about me and you know it. It's about _her. _It's always been about her," he growled.

_What? _This had nothing to do with her. Okay, a little to do with her because he didn't want John to hurt her, but there was a danger that his mind could snap.

"This isn't about _her_."

"You're trying to find some excuse to stick around because you don't want to leave her."

"That's…that's completely untrue."

"You can deny it all you want. I've seen the way you look at her, but you already made your choice! You walked away! I'm the one she kissed on that beach. Me! Not you! So you can fly your TARDIS back to your own universe because she's not going anywhere with you!"

At the mention of their kiss, the memory of which was burned into the Doctor's mind, he stepped closer to John and narrowed his eyes.

"She might have been kissing you, but she was thinking about me and if I did give her a choice we both know who she'd choose," the Doctor said in a low voice.

The Time Lord felt a sharp pain as John's fist connected with his jaw and in the next moment he was lying on the floor of the control room with the half-Time Lord leaning over him.

"Stay the hell away from her!"

The Doctor stood up as John crossed the room and then headed down the corridor. He hadn't met to get upset. Not like that. But when it came to Rose he had a hard time keeping his head. Maybe it was for the best that he'd pushed John that far though because now he knew she wouldn't be safe if he left her with John.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


	35. Endings and New Beginnings

John sat on the steps to his porch, a porch he hadn't seen before, but he had because apparently he'd been living there for a few years. Only he didn't remember any of that. He rubbed the back of his neck wishing that none of this had ever happened. Wishing that he'd never happened.

It would be better that way. If he never existed. If the meta-crisis hadn't happened. Then he wouldn't be sitting there feeling like his heart had been ripped out of his chest.

He'd done it this time. Really done it this time. Rose was in the Doctor's TARDIS, talking to him and he was sure the Time Lord was telling her about how John had lost it. How John had hit him in anger, which is something the Doctor would never do and it probably solidified the Time Lord's theory that John was dangerous.

After he punched the Doctor he regretted it immediately, but he couldn't take it back. He'd done it and that was that. He would never hurt Rose. Couldn't ever fathom a reason he would, but now he had nagging doubt at the back of his mind. Maybe he was dangerous. Maybe there was something wrong with him.

Whether it was true or not, right now the Doctor was telling Rose it was and she'd believe him because he was the Doctor. _Her Doctor. _If John was lucky he'd see her long enough for her to pack a bag and they'd be gone. They'd pass into the other universe and he would never see her again. A tear slid down his cheek.

She was everything to him and he'd lost her all because he'd let himself lose control. Now, he'd be stuck in a world without her. _Damn human emotions. _If he was a Time Lord none of this would've happened, but he wasn't. He was half-Time Lord, half human. And there wasn't anything he could do about that. Wishing things were different, wishing he was different, wouldn't make it happen, but then…maybe it could.

He stood up and crossed the yard to the shed remembering two wishes that had been fulfilled.

* * *

Rose couldn't believe what the Doctor was telling her. John hit him? Really hit him? Why would he do that? He'd never been like that. All the time she'd known him. Sure, maybe he didn't share her memories, but still she couldn't believe it.

"What did you say to him?" she asked.

The Doctor stopped talking and gave her a guarded look, which made her suspicion that he had somehow brought this on himself that much more convincing.

"I didn't say anything to him," he said, defensively.

Yep, he was definitely holding something back.

"Tell me."

"We, might have gotten into an argument, but the point is he's the one who escalated the argument, which proves that he's dangerous."

He was holding something back and she was going to have it out. If he wanted her to believe his claim that John was dangerous then he was going to have to give her more of an explanation.

"An argument about what?"

"About…well…about," he stammered, running his hand through his hair.

"About what?" she insisted.

"About you."

"Me?"

She knew John was in love with her, same as he had been all those years ago because for him Bad Wolf Bay was yesterday, but the Doctor. Well, she thought he was and then she thought he wasn't and then he was and then he wasn't and now…she just didn't even know. He was so closed off with his true emotions that she couldn't tell.

* * *

John opened the door of his TARDIS and stepped inside. For a moment he just stood there, unable to make his legs work. This was, well, he wasn't even sure if it would work. And if it did what would happen to him? Would he still be him? He didn't know, couldn't know.

It was his only option though. He had struck someone. In anger. Because the Doctor had voiced something that he'd always known, deep down. If given the choice between the Doctor or a copy of the Doctor who would she choose. Of course she would chose _him, _the real Doctor. The only reason Rose was with John was because the Time Lord wanted her to be safe, but right now he thought she would be safer away from the half-Time Lord and after what he'd done he really couldn't blame the Doctor.

There was something wrong with him and he needed to fix it before he lost her forever. He knew he still might lose her, but at least this way he wouldn't be dangerous to anyone else either.

He took a deep breath, settled on his decision, it was the only choice after all, and walked over to the console.

* * *

"What _exactly _did you say about me?" Rose asked.

"It's not important," the Doctor dismissed.

She wasn't about to let him get away with hat.

"Yes, it is. Tell me."

"I-I might have said something that, maybe I shouldn't have, but still-"

"What did you say?"

"I may have…well…indicated that, you know, if given the…uh…the choice between me or him, well, we both know who you would chose."

Had he completely lost his mind?

"You said that? To him?"

"Well, I might have been upset at the time."

"And you wonder why he hit you?" She sighed. "You realize that to him Bad Wolf Bay was yesterday?"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about."

"What?"

"He was born in battle. To him the Daleks happened yesterday. He killed them all yesterday. Without his memories of all those years he spent here he's dangerous and he's already proven that he can be violent."

"That was your fault. If you hadn't provoked him then he wouldn't have hit you."

"He's too dangerous for you to be around, Rose."

_Wait. What's he saying? _Did he want her to go with him? All she'd wanted to do for years, ever since that day on the beach, was find a way back to him. To _her Doctor. _And now it seemed she had. Only, she'd be leaving John alone and she was all that he remembered.

He wasn't dangerous. She knew he'd never hurt her. The Doctor was overreacting. Unless…there was something else he wasn't telling her, which could be the case since he was a lot more closed off than he used to be.

"What aren't you telling me?"

* * *

The Doctor couldn't keep eye contact with her. He looked away. How could he get her to understand? He thought she'd agree with him once she knew that John was dangerous. He'd acted out in violence, something the Time Lord would never do.

There was something different about him. Something he just didn't trust and he couldn't leave the half-Time Lord there with her. Couldn't leave them together.

"It's not safe for him to stay here," he said.

"What?" she asked.

He could see pain in her eyes. Did she care about John that much? Well, she had said they were best friends. But still the pain looked different…deeper.

"So, you…you want to take _him _with you?" she inquired.

And there it was. She thought that he met to take her. He did want to take her. More than anything he wanted to take her, but he couldn't. She wouldn't be safe with him, but if he removed the danger then she would be safe here.

"You'll be safe if I take him with me," he said, trying to get her to understand his reasoning.

"You think that's what I want? To be safe? What the hell gives you the right to make all these decisions for me?" Her eyes blazed and he had to take a step back from the force of her words. "You gave up any right to do that when you walked away from me!"

"Rose, I…I…"

Her words stung. He knew this wasn't what she wanted, but he thought in some way she would understand. He was doing this for her.

"I wanted to find you because I thought…" her voice cracked, "…I thought that we could be together, but…but now you're here and…and it's not me you want to take back it's…it's him…and I…"

"Rose."

He reached for her, but she pushed him away.

"No, I'm not doing this!" she yelled, forcefully. "You don't want me to be with you and that's fine, but John needs me and I'm not letting you take him away from me!"

His heart broke. He thought he was doing the right thing. Keeping her safe.

"Rose I-"

"Just go! That's what you're good at, yeah? Running away. Don't pretend that this is about keeping me safe. This is about you! It's always been about you! You've been running for so long you don't know how to stop and I'm not having it anymore! So, you can run. Go! I'm not going to stop you. Not anymore."

She turned around and ran out the door. He stood there for a moment, letting her words sink in. Is that what he'd been doing? Why he let her go? He told himself he was keeping her safe, but was that the real reason or was she right?

* * *

John kept his eyes closed. _Do I want to do this? No, I don't, but I have to. If I don't I'll lose her and I can't lose her. She's everything. _He knew this very well might kill him, but to be with her it was a price he would gladly pay.

His single heart beat frantically in his chest. He took a deep breath, opened his eyes and looked into the heart of the TARDIS and she looked into his and because she could she granted his wish.

* * *

The Doctor paced the control room. All this time he'd been telling himself he was keeping her safe, but maybe she was right. Maybe he'd been running from her. From what they could have. He was the one who pulled away when she kissed him and he tried to keep her at a distance after that.

He'd talked himself out of taking her with him. The universe wasn't conspiring to keep them apart. It was him. It'd always been him. He wasn't going to let himself do that anymore. He knew what he wanted. All he had to do was walk through that door and get it.

He crossed the control room and reached for the door handle. The high-pitched whine of the TARDIS engines filled the room. _What? _He spun around. The time rotor rose and fell. _No! No, no, no, no, no! _

He ran to the console and began flipping levers and pushing buttons in an effort to stop her from dematerializing.

"What are you doing?"

She was taking him back through the window. _No!_ He couldn't go. Not now. He ran to one of the control panels and pushed buttons frantically.

* * *

John closed his eyes, listening to the casing snap back into place, but not just that. He could hear…everything. And he could see…everything. All that is, all that was, all that ever could be.

His lost memories were back. The Time War, everything he had gone through before Rose, everything after losing her at Canary Wharf, and everything they shared here. He was still himself, but he was different. Changed.

He had to find her. He only hoped it wasn't too late.

* * *

Rose stood in the yard as the Doctor's TARDIS dematerialized. He knew what she wanted. She'd made it clear and he was doing what she thought he'd do. Running. That's what the Doctor did best. And she did the only thing she could. She let him go. She couldn't hold on to someone who would always be running from her.

She heard the shed door open. She looked up to see John running across the yard toward her. A broad smile on his face, reminding her of the old Doctor. She brushed away the tear sliding down her cheek so he wouldn't see. Then he was there, wrapping his arms around her, lifting her in the air. She smiled.

"Where've you been?" she asked.

"Just taking care of a few things in my TARDIS," he said, setting her down and gazing into her eyes.

There was something different in his eyes. Something different and so familiar. He seemed more like he was before the Roboforms, but, yet, not exactly the same.

"What are you talking about?"

He leaned forward and wiped a tear from her cheek, his hand lingering for a moment longer than needed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just…just saying goodbye. The Doctor's gone."

"He is?" John asked, looking around the yard as if he'd forgotten the Doctor had even been there.

"Yep," she said.

He smiled. "But you're still here."

"Can't get rid of me."

His smiled broadened and she couldn't figure out why he was looking at her like that.

"So, are you ready then?" he asked.

"Ready for what?"

"Well, I thought, now that my TARDIS is ready we could do some traveling."

"Didn't we just get back from traveling?"

"Oh, you can never do too much traveling."

"Where would we go?"

"Anywhere, everywhere. It's all waiting out there," he said, giving her a nudge with his shoulder. "All those planets and creatures and horizons. Do you remember?"

"Yeah," she said, smiling back at him.

"So, what do you say, Rose Tyler," he asked, offering her his hand. "Together?"

"Together," she said, taking his hand and then sprinted toward the shed with him.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who or any of its characters or story lines, however I do own a fez.

**I've already started work on the other story - and you all know who's going to win in that one. I'll get the first couple chapters up in a few. It's called Awakening. I hope you all enjoyed this one, even if it didn't end how you wanted and I really hope you'll like the next one.  
**

**Thank you to all my readers you guys are awesome!**


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